After weeks of "Will he? Won't he?" speculation and rumor, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger declared on Tuesday that New York Red Bulls forward Thierry Henry would not be joining the Gunners on loan this offseason.
"I think he goes away somewhere," Wenger said after Arsenal's 1-1 draw at Southampton in English Premier League action on Tuesday evening. "He is not ready, he has just come back from holiday anyway. At the moment we are not on that case."
Asked to clarify if a deal for the 35-year-old Henry would happen, he replied: "No."
Henry, who spent eight seasons with Arsenal from 1999 to 2007 and is the club's career leader in goals with 228, returned on loan last offseason. In seven appearances in all competitions, he scored two goals.
Wenger himself fanned the flames for Henry's potential return this year. The Red Bulls star — who enjoyed his best season since coming to New York in 2010, with 15 goals and 12 assists — has trained with Arsenal in recent weeks and has appeared in the stands at the Emirates Stadium.
But it seems that's as close as he will get to being a member of Arsenal this offseason.
Meanwhile, Henry's New York teammate Tim Cahill is reportedly a loan target of EPL side Sunderland.
