Arsenal are set to receive a huge boost with the news that Thierry Henry is set to end speculation over his future by signing a new contract with the Gunners.
Henry, whose contract expires next year, had been linked with a move to Champions League winners Barcelona.
“I hope to stay as long as I can keep running. I couldn’t leave the fans. They’re like family,” he told the Sun.
“I love Barcelona, but on Wednesday Arsenal showed they had heart. I hope to finalise details today.”
”Everything was up in the air for a very long time. But at the end of the day, the team raised their game.
The deal, understood to be worth more than £110,000 a week, has been agreed for months and has been awaiting Henry’s signature after he first said he’d like to stay in January.
Arsenal captain Henry, 28, joined from Juventus in August 1999 and has gone on to become the club’s record goalscorer.
He was recently voted Football Writers’ Association player of the year for a record third time.
Using the in-flight intercom to speak to supporters who flew back to Gatwick with the team, he dropped the biggest hint that he would stay.
“We have to take it on the chin and make sure we come back even better,” he said, “and hopefully we will be back.”
“We gave more than them, in terms of heart and everything,” he said.
“They had the luck or whatever but we fought hard. I told them in the dressing room, we have nothing to be ashamed of.”
Henry continued to blame the officials for Arsenal’s defeat, claiming that Barcelona’s equaliser had been offside.
“I’m sorry but I would like to say my team deserved to leave the stadium with their heads up and be proud,” he added
“Because you can fight, but to fight against something that you can’t fight against, it’s difficult.”
Of the officials he said: “I don’t know if the referee had a Barcelona shirt on.” Uefa, though, will not punish him for the outburst. A spokesman said: “There is absolutely no need for any disciplinary action to be taken for comments made in the heat of the moment.”
If he does pledge his future to Arsenal, it will be a huge boost to the club ahead of their move to their new Emirates Stadium next season.
