The reports are out that New York Red Bulls striker Thierry Henry will be at EPL side Arsenal for a loan. It will be similar to Landon Donovan’s loan at Everton which will last about two months and have him back for the start of the 2012 MLS season.

The deal was confirmed by Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger in late December.

“It was my idea because I decide and he was happy with it. It was his idea as well to come here, but I had to make the decision to do it.

“He is certainly very happy and modest about it as well. He just wants to help us get through a period where we lose two strikers.

“First of all we do it because Gervinho and Chamakh go to the African Nations Cup and to cover for two months is ideal.” 

“He is experienced, he is quality, he knows the Club, he can help the players on and off the pitch. He has vast experience.

“No one can measure that but I know it can only be positive. He has exceptional talent; he is a very intelligent man and has a desire to help the Club, so it can only be positive. But it is difficult to measure how positive an influence he is.”

New York Red Bulls General Manager Erik Soler also spoke of the loan deal around the same time.

“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.’’

“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.”

As with most loan deals, Arsenal will pay a pro-rated portion of Henry’s salary to NY (about $5 million base per year).

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New York Red Bulls Striker Thierry Henry On Two Month Loan Deal To Arsenal - The 90th Minute Soccer Blog

Thierry Henry will train with his former club, Arsenal, as he prepares for the 2011 MLS season. Henry, who joined the New York Red Bulls last summer, will likely return to the United States in February or early March. It’s a similar situation to David Beckham as both will train with EPL sides but return in time for the 2011 MLS season.

Below is the official statement from the Arsenal FC website on the story.

The Gunners legend returned to London Colney on Monday to train with Arsène Wenger’s squad. The short-term arrangement will help Henry maintain his fitness ahead of the new MLS campaign, which begins in March.

Henry joined the New York Red Bulls last year and helped them reach the play-offs where they lost on aggregate to San Jose Earthquakes in November.

The former Arsenal captain scored a record 226 goals during a glittering career in north London and was a member of the ‘Invincibles’ squad that completed an unbeaten campaign in 2003/04.

NY Red Bull Thierry Henry Training With Arsenal During MLS Offseason - The 90th Minute Soccer Blog

Thierry Henry, who has been out recently with a knee injury, could return for the New York Red Bulls on Thursday, November 4, 2010. Since joining the Red Bulls in July, Henry has played 10 matches but missed the first leg against San Jose last Saturday.

While he’s clearly a player that improved the Red Bulls, the team did earn a 1-0 victory in the first leg. Rushing Henry back into the line-u wouldn’t be a wise decision and they are more than capable of getting at least a draw to move into the Conference Finals.

The most realistic and probable outcome would be to bring on Henry late in the second half to give him a few minutes and reduce any risk of another injury. This could change depending on how the match is going and whether the Red Bulls are needing to score any goals or have a comfortable lead.

The Frenchman spoke on Tuesday about his prospects of playing in Thursday’s match

“I think I am going to be available to the boss,” Henry said on Tuesday. “I don’t know if I’m going to start.”

NY manager Hans Backe also spoke on the subject.

“His turning was excellent, looked really sharp,” head coach Hans Backe said after training, also noting that Henry’s finishing is lacking due to rust. “But just to hit the ball, to kick the ball, he feels some pain.”

Will Thierry Henry play in Thursday’s match? Should he play or will the Red Bulls not risk him if they are ahead?

Thierry Henry Could Play For NY Red Bulls In Eastern Conference Semifinal 2nd Leg - The 90th Minute Soccer Blog

Thierry Henry, a designated player for the New York Red Bulls, has been fined by MLS. The fine is $2,000 and was because of a play at the end of the first half against FC Dallas.

The play happened after a goal by the Red Bulls and Henry ran up to kick it in the net again. As he ran to do that, FC Dallas goalkeeper Kevin Hartman was there and had put his foot behind the ball. Henry then went to kick it as Hartman was there and then went down with an injury. The play was definitely reckless by Henry but it’s not clear there was any malicious intent.

Some have called for more severe fines (possibly a week’s wages instead of flat rate since MLS salaries) and a suspension. Hartman ended up with an MCL strain and will be out two to three weeks.

Video of the play can be seen here.

Below is the press release from the MLS official website on the decision

(from MLSSoccer.com) The MLS Disciplinary Committee fined Red Bulls striker Thierry Henry $2,000 on Monday for his part in an incident that injured FC Dallas goalkeeper Kevin Hartman last Thursday.

Henry will not serve a suspension for his actions.

Moments after New York’s Mehdi Ballouchy scored in the 2-2 tie, Henry attempted to kick the ball into the net as a form of celebration. However, Hartman’s foot was positioned behind the ball at the time, and the goalkeeper suffered a knee injury as a result.

Hartman will miss two to three weeks with an MCL strain.

The referee did not issue a foul or a yellow card to Henry at the time. The New York Designated Player had already received a yellow card earlier in the game and another caution would have led to his ejection. Had he been ejected, he would have been missed the Red Bulls’ tilt against the Los Angeles Galaxy on Friday.

MLS executive vice president of competition Nelson Rodriguez said on Monday that, if the match referee sees the incident but does not act, as was the case on Thursday, then it is up to the committee to decide whether the incident satisfies certain conditions to sanction the player.

Firstly, the committee must be unanimous that the incident was a clear and unequivocal booking offense. Secondly, the action must be egregious enough that the committee feels it necessary to ”act to protect the integrity of the game.”

“The committee deemed that the first condition was not met,” Rodriguez told MLSsoccer.com. ”It was decided that the action was reckless enough as it resulted in an injury, so it had to be recognized with one of the largest fines the committee has handed out.”

Thierry Henry Fined $2,000 By Major League Soccer - The 90th Minute Soccer Blog

Thierry Henry, who recently transferred to the NY Red Bulls of MLS, has scored his first goal while playing in the competition. The goal came in New York’s 2-0 win over the San Jose Earthquakes in the 63rd minute as Henry received a cross and then settle the ball before finishing from inside the box.

There’s no doubt that the arrival of Henry (along with Rafa Marquez) to the club has made a positive impact. NY is now looking like a serious contender to win the 2010 MLS Cup and Henry has linked up well with striker Juan Pablo Angel.

While Henry hasn’t received as much attention as David Beckham, he’s definitely having a much bigger impact in his first season and shown that he still has something left.

Video highlights of the match, including the goal, can be found here.

Thierry Henry Scores First Goal In Major League Soccer - The 90th Minute Soccer Blog

Thierry Henry, former Barcelona and Arsenal player, was introduced today with a press conference at Red Bull Arena. The Frenchmen stated he’s focusing on winning with the New York Red Bulls and nothing else. The move has been rumored for a while and Henry has often stated that he loves the city of New York and could see himself playing in MLS at some point.

The first match that Henry will be available for is a friendly against Tottenham Hotspur on July 22. More information including video and quotes from the press conference will be added to this post later.

Thierry Henry Introduced By The New York Red Bulls; First Match Will Be Against Spurs on July 22 - The 90th Minute Soccer Blog

The New York Red Bulls have officially announced that they have signed Thierry Henry as their second designated player. This was no surprise as it had been rumored for a while and reports suggested the deal was already in place. The move will officially happen on July 15 when the transfer window open in Major League Soccer. A press conference is also scheduled for that day when Henry will be presented to the media.

More information on the move is below with quotes from the Red Bulls. Henry is expected to play his first match in a friendly against EPL side Tottenham Hotspur on July 22.

Red Bulls Confirm Henry Signing (from the Red Bulls official website)

Red Bull New York announced today that it has signed star French forward Thierry Henry to a multi-year contract as its second Designated Player. Henry, a World Cup, European Championship and UEFA Champions League winner, will be available for selection for New York pending receipt of his International Transfer Certificate and after the July 15 international transfer window. His debut for the Red Bulls is expected to be on July 22 against English Premiership club, Tottenham Hotspur, in the Barclays New York Challenge at Red Bull Arena.

“It is without question that Thierry Henry is one of the most successful and recognizable soccer players over the past 15 years,” said Dietmar Beiersdorfer, Head of Red Bull Global Soccer. “We are thrilled that Thierry has decided to come to New York to help the Red Bulls compete for championships this year and for years to come. His international pedigree is second to none and he is a proven winner.”

“This marks an exciting new chapter in my career and life,” Henry said. “It is an honor to play for the New York Red Bulls. I am fully aware of the team’s history and my sole goal during my time here is to help win the club its first championship. Knowing Red Bull’s significant commitment to soccer locally and internationally, I am confident that my teammates and I will succeed.”

Henry will be introduced at a press conference on Thursday, July 15 at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, NJ at 1:15 PM.

“Thierry is not only a world class player who will undoubtedly improve our squad, but he has shown most importantly throughout his career that he is a winner,” said Erik Soler, Red Bull New York General Manager and Sporting Director. “He has made it clear to us that he is committed in the short and long term to help in our vision of making our organization the premium franchise in Major League Soccer.”

New York Red Bulls Officially Announce Thierry Henry Signing; Press Conference On July 15 - The 90th Minute Soccer Blog

Henry will soon be playing in MLS

The New York Red Bulls of Major League Soccer have scheduled a press conference on Thursday, July 15, 2010 to announced another designated player signing (the other is current striker Juan Pablo Angel). With the recent league changes, teams can now sign up to three DPs. It hasn’t been officially confirmed that will indeed be Thierry Henry but it would be a complete shock if it wasn’t.

Henry has previously stated his intentions to play in MLS and his love the city of New York. He will join a Red Bull side that is much improved this season and has a top class striker in Angel. The move will also help increase attendance for New York who has the brand new Red Bull Arena but still hasn’t sold out most of their home matches.

What do you think of the move? Will Henry succeed in MLS or could this be a bad move?

New York Red Bulls To Announce Thierry Henry As Designated Player on July 15 - The 90th Minute Soccer Blog

It has been in talks for months that Thierry Henry would join MLS at some point and reports out of NY are saying it will happen this summer. The New York Post has reported that Henry has been in talks with the New York Red Bulls and will join them after the 2010 World Cup. He hasn’t signed a contract yet but sources are saying the deal is all but done.

This move is no surprise as Henry has stated his intentions to play in America at some point. New York would be a great fit with a brand new stadium and needing a big name to increase attendance. Despite being in the biggest US market, the Red Bulls have struggled with attendance but will seem a significant increase once Henry arrives in July.

Henry is likely to be one of several European stars that will make the move in the summer after the World Cup.

A link to the full story on the NY Post with an excerpt is below.

Henry Set To Join Red Bulls After World Cup (full story here)

The Sun reported yesterday that France star Thierry Henry had signed a pre-contract to join the Red Bulls after this summer’s World Cup. Red Bull GM Erik Soler insisted nothing’s been signed — yet — but a source told the Post it’s essentially a fait accompli that Henry will move from Barcelona to New York.

“It’s no secret he’s going to end up (with Red Bull). It’s the worst-kept secret. We all know that,” said a source in position to know about the team’s plans, but not authorized to speak about them. “All you have to say is allegedly and that covers it, but unless something catastrophic happens, he’s going to be (a Red Bull).”

Thierry Henry To Join New York Red Bulls After 2010 World Cup - The 90th Minute Soccer Blog

It’s nearing the end of the European domestic leagues and the rumors continue to swirl about who will be joining Major League Soccer in the summer transfer window. The names that have been talked about include Thierry Henry, Raul, Alessandro Del Piero, Robert Pires, Ronaldinho, and Patrick Vieira. Not all of these players are likely to join MLS, at least this summer, but at least a few should after the World Cup. Below is a closer look at each and the likelihood they will be playing in MLS by July/August.

Major League Soccer Summer Transfer Window Rumors

Thierry Henry

Numerous reports have stated Henry is set to join MLS after the World Cup and likely will be joining the New York Red Bulls. He has one year left on his contract with FC Barcelona but has reportedly made an agreement to allow him to leave during the summer. His chances of coming to MLS are very high and probably 90-95% at this point.

Raul

The Real Madrid striker has been talked about making a move to MLS for several months. He has lost his starting spot and Real Madrid has stated they will allow the striker to move to another club if he wants. He has been linked with the New York Red Bulls and the Los Angeles Galaxy. Raul has made few comments publicly about what he plans to do but his chances of moving to MLS are 50-50.

Ronaldinho

Ronaldinho has been in reports as a player targeted by the LA Galaxy to replace the injured David Beckham. The move seemed more likely a month or two ago but recently the Brazilian has began talks to stay at AC Milan. He would have to take a pay cut to stay AC Milan so there’s a decent chance he will transfer to another club. MLS is a possibility as is the EPL (Man City), or even a team in Brazil. His chance of joining MLS over the summer is not great and around 10-15%.

Robert Pires

The Villarreal striker has been in talks with the Philadelphia Union about a move in the summer. Both sides have confirmed the talks and his American agent stated there are several clubs interested in Pires (in Europe and MLS). His move to MLS seems like a good possibility and around 55-60%.

Alessandro Del Piero

There was speculation the Juventus midfielder had an offer from the Red Bulls in April. It seemed like a possibility but Del Piero recently stated he isn’t interested in coming to MLS and will stay with Juventus, at least for next season. His chances of coming are very small, maybe 5% or lower.

The Latest MLS Summer Transfer Window Rumors - The 90th Minute Soccer Blog