Thierry Henry: Arsene Wenger predicts club legend will return 'because he is an Arsenal man'

Wenger admitted that he sees Henry's future with the Gunners because 'he is an Arsenal man'

Arsene Wenger has predicted that Thierry Henry will return to Arsenal one day, although he does not know when or in what capacity.

Henry, Arsenal’s all-time leading goal-scorer, is set to retire from playing after announcing his departure from New York Red Bulls this week. While Wenger ruled out an immediate move for the 37-year-old – saying that he needed time to “reflect” – he predicted that Henry would one day return to the club who already have a statue of him erected outside.

“I understand that he wants to reflect for a while on how he wants to go in his life,” Wenger said at his press conference this morning. “He has the right to reflect and think of what he wants to do now.”

Wenger was confident, though, of an Arsenal return for the man who had a brief loan spell back at the Emirates from New York in 2012. “He is an Arsenal man,” Wenger said.

“This was the best moment certainly of his life and of his career, was experienced here. Certainly one day he will come back here. In what role I don’t know, that is what he has to think about: what direction he wants to give to his next life.”

While Henry had not yet announced his retirement, Wenger believes that Henry does not want to carry on. He was confident, though, that Henry would be a good coach if he chose to be.

“He has all the qualities because he is intelligent, committed, he loves the game,” Wenger said. “He just has to think 'do I want to sacrifice all the rest of my life to be involved in that job?'”