Sports

Red Bulls GM calls Henry loan to Arsenal ‘total package’

Red Bulls captain Thierry Henry will be returning to Arsenal on a short-term loan. The Post has confirmed the move through MLS and an exclusive interview with Red Bulls GM Erik Soler, and Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger confirmed it today to the media in London.

Henry is Arsenal’s all-time leading goalscorer, and will get to pad that haul in a two-month loan that should fittingly culminate in the Champions League against Milan. The French striker is indeed the most famous of Gunners royalty, and this move is in a way the Return of the King _ a fact not lost upon Soler when asked if he had any reservation about sending an oft-injured 34-year-old away on loan.

“It was more like the total package. You sort of need to travel to Arsenal to understand the meaning he has to everybody inside and outside the club. We feel it’s a good honor for a guy who’s been with us 18 months. This is something he thought he wanted to do, and it’s easy to see,” Soler told the Post. “And on sporting side, it’s better for him to train at Arsenal, than if we turn something like that down. I couldn’t find a single reason to say no.

“I was approached by them, and of course I wanted to check if that was what Thierry wanted, and make sure my ownership was happy with it. I did the necessary calls on my part, and on the sporting side both Hans (Backe, coach) and myself think it’s a very good idea. Thierry will be working hard. He’ll be coming to our Phoenix trip. He’ll be coming straight from training and playing with Arsenal, which is a good thing for us. In the end, it’s very easy for us to see this as good idea.’’

Henry saw a statue unveiled in his honor outside the Emirates Stadium three weeks ago, and was moved to tears. This loan move _ which the Post reportedly was a possibility back on Dec. 16 _ should be finalized on Sunday, with sandwiched between Arsenal games Saturday against Queens Park Rangers and Monday at Fulham.

It will be a two-month loan, with Henry becoming a Gunner in time for Monday’s game all the way through their Feb. 16 Champions League tilt, before rejoining the Red Bulls on Feb. 20 for the Phoenix leg of training camp. He earns $5 million annually in base salary, with Arsenal paying the pro-rated portion of that.

“If its finalized, the idea would be to have him from Sunday Jan. 1 approximately that date in February. They have a Champions League game on the 16th, and he would come after that,” said Soler. 

Henry has been training with the Arsenal squad during the MLS winter break but now will have a chance to add to his club-record 226 goals during January and February. Wenger, who initially played down speculation of Henry’s return, said that the veteran striker can still have an impact in the English Premier League (EPL).

“He’s 34, but still has class, quality and a [soccer] brain,” Wenger told reporters Friday. “He knows the club, he can help the players and I know one thing — it can only be positive.”

Henry was signed to provide cover for forwards Gervinho and Marouane Chamakh, who will head to the African Cup of Nations in the new year, while easing the burden on the prolific Robin van Persie in front of goal. He won the Premier League twice with Arsenal in eight seasons before leaving for Barcelona in 2007. He joined the Red Bulls in July, 2010 and scored 14 goals in 26 games in 2011.

“A few days ago I spoke to his advisor; I know he and Darren (Dein) are very close,” said Soler, referring to Henry’s agent. Dein is the son of ex-Arsenal and FA vice-chair David Dein, and served as Henry’s best man. “It sort of came out of the blue.

“I did all necessary calls. When your biggest star is involved in something like this, I can assure you it’s going crazy in Europe with all the reports. It’s a big thing in the football world. And it’s good for the marketing side as well,” Soler told the Post. “But we’d never do it if we thought it wasn’t good for the sporting side. We think it’s good. He’ll come back high level and have a great experience. With Arsenal coming to him in (a crisis), it must be a very emotional thing for him.”