London: Arsenal have completed the re-signing of legendary striker Thierry Henry on a two-month loan deal.
The move has been mooted for weeks but had been held up due to negotiations between the Gunners and Henry`s current club, New York Red Bulls.
Henry could feature in eight Premier League games if fully fit and available, the last of which could be a mouth-watering north London derby against Tottenham.
A statement from Arsenal read: "Thierry Henry has today rejoined Arsenal on a short-term loan deal.
"After negotiations between Arsenal, Henry, the New York Red Bulls and Major League Soccer, the striker will team up with the Gunners on a temporary basis during a period of fixtures in January and February that will see Gervinho and Marouane Chamakh depart for Africa Cup of Nations duty."
A bronze statue of Henry was recently unveiled at the Emirates Stadium alongside iconic former skipper Tony Adams and revolutionary manager Herbert Chapman, and the Frenchman admitted his surprise at the deal.
Henry told Arsenal`s official website: "It is unreal to be honest. But when it comes to Arsenal my heart will always do the talking.
"Once I knew the plan behind it I was OK with it. I am not coming here to be a hero or prove anything, I am just coming here to help. People have to understand that.
"Marouane and Gervinho are going to the Africa Cup of Nations, so I was asked to fill in the gap. It is a loan deal and I’ll be on the bench most of the time. If I can make the bench that is!
"The boss has a team here already who are doing something good. I am just going to be part of the squad."
Henry also moved to reassure New York Red Bulls supporters, some of whom were reportedly concerened that their star striker may not return to the club.
But Henry continued: "I want to send a message to the fans of New York Red Bulls as well. I always said I would not play in Europe again. But it is hard for me when it comes to Arsenal.
"I am not coming here for the whole season, I will be back and I want to win the MLS Cup with the Red Bulls. I hope it is win-win situation where I can help Arsenal and come back fit for the MLS season."
Henry is Arsenal`s record goalscorer after netting 226 times in 369 appearances after joining from Juventus in 1999.
Originally a winger, Henry was transformed under Arsene Wenger into one of the world`s most feared strikers, winning Premier League and FA Cup titles.
Wenger said: “I am very happy, It was my desire and Thierry’s desire. We will have Thierry for January and in February and then he will go back to the United States.
"I am sure during these two months he will be a massive asset to the team in the dressing room and on the pitch. He can be relaxed, not under too much pressure and be a tremendous help to the team.”
Henry had a stint as Gunners captain before going on to Barcelona where he won every competition possible in one magnificent year under Pep Guardiola in 2009.
The Frenchman has also won the World Cup and European Championship with his country, for whom he is also the record goalscorer with 51 strikes in 123 international games.
Arsenal have confirmed the forward will wear the No.12 shirt for the duration of his temporary stay, with his iconic No.14 shirt occupied by winger Theo Walcott.
Goal.com
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.