Arsène Wenger appears to have signalled his willingness to sell Thierry Henry by entering into negotiations with Barcelona for the first time. The Arsenal manager met Ferran Soriano, the Spanish club’s financial director, in Paris this week for preliminary discussions, though both parties remain some distance from agreeing Henry’s transfer.
Wenger wants to sign Samuel Eto’o as part of the deal, but Barcelona are reluctant to allow the Cameroon striker to leave despite his problems at the club this season. Eto’o has fallen out with Frank Rijkaard, the coach, and Ronaldinho, his team-mate, but this week spoke of his desire to stay at the Nou Camp and play alongside Henry, whose arrival would represent a greater threat to the Brazil forward.
Eto’o is a close friend of Henry and the pair have spoken recently about the prospect of forming a new strike partnership. Even if Barcelona were willing to release Eto’o in order to secure Henry’s services, they would demand at least £10 million from Arsenal to complete the deal. AC Milan are also interested in Henry, but Barcelona would be his preferred destination.
Wenger’s surprising decision to speak to Barcelona stems from his realisation that he is running out of options, with Henry eager to take what many believe would be his final opportunity to move to Spain. Wenger may resolve to cash in on an unsettled player in any case, as he did when selling Patrick Vieira to Juventus two years ago.
Barcelona are expected to make a preliminary offer next week of £15 million and with Arsenal’s asking price £20 million, the parties are not too far apart. The negotiation of Henry’s personal terms may not prolong the process as Barcelona have prepared a three-year contract offer worth £6.7 million a year with an option for a further 12 months.
Henry was close to joining Barcelona last summer but changed his mind in the emotional aftermath of Arsenal’s march to the Champions League final in Paris, signing a new contract two days after their 2-1 defeat by the Spanish club. The 29-year-old had cause to regret his decision during a difficult season in which he made only 27 appearances because of various injuries as Arsenal finished fourth in the Barclays Premiership.
Barcelona sources were claiming last night that the transfer could be completed next week, though it may drag on for much of the summer. Henry is on holiday in the United States, watching his close friend, Tony Parker, compete for the San Antonio Spurs against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals, and will want to talk to Wenger before making his decision.
The pair have had a close relationship since first working together at AS Monaco more than a decade ago and Henry retains a great attachment to Arsenal after spending eight successful years at the club, though his recent comments on his future have been ambivalent.
“At this moment I am an Arsenal player and in the same situation as I was last year,” he said this week. “Last season people were announcing all over the place that I was leaving. Some people wrote that it would happen for sure but at the end of the day I stayed at Arsenal. It could be the same this year.
“I’ve not taken any decision and my name is not up on any departures board. If something happens, I will tell everybody.”
Jerome Anderson, Henry’s agent, has also said that he will sue France Football magazine after unsubstantiated claims that he met Txiki Beguiristáin, the Barcelona sporting director, to discuss a move.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premiership/arsenal/article1934934.eceOther sources:
http://msn.foxsports.com/soccer/story/6925580http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=438432&cc=3888http://www.clubcall.com/index.jsp?storyID=319741http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/15062007/4/wenger-opens-barca-talks-reports.htmlhttp://www.goal.com/en-india/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=328037