Today´s spanish Football newspapers El Mundo Deportivo and SPORT, both reported today Real Madrid tried to torpedize the verbal agreement between Arsenal´s Henry and FC Barcelona. FC Barcelona is very condident and convinced that "Titi" will be a Barça player for the next 3 years.



Both papers reported that Real Madrid sent intermediarse to persuade and pressure the agent of Thierry Henry and Arsenal to re-think the Barca agreement and to commit to join Real Madrid instead of FC Barcelona. FC Barcelona is extremely keen on signing Arsenal´s goalgetter and two times "Golden Boot" Winner Thierry Henry to strengthen the Barça team in the season 2006/2007 ahead and does not believe that Henry will change his mind and sign a new contract with Real Madrid instead with Arsenal or FC Barcelona.

The assault to kidnap the Henry deal is a cheap way of "Merengue" President Fernando Martín to gain votes for the next presidential elections. It is also believed that Milan´s coach Carlo Ancelotti, a candidate for the manager position at the "Merengues" has made the signature of Henry to Real a condition to sign for the "Non-Galacticos". But Henry himself and his agent are not willing to listen to this sort of propaganda and do not want to be drawn in any presidential ellections at Real Madrid. The verbal agreement is made and the Barça board is absolutely convinced that Henry plays for the next 3 years at BARÇA.


FC Barcelona will wait for the final decision that Thierry Henry will not sign a new contract with Arsenal. Not to offend any FIFA Regulation, the agreement is only verbal and logically no written agreement exists. FC Barcelona will wait until Henry´s final decision and his official declaration is made that he does not sign the new contract offered by Arsenal FC. Then will the time arrive, when the pact will receive official character and when Barca will finalise the transfer of Thierry Henry with the Arsenal board.
With regards to Arsenal, behind closed doors the board has already resigned and is out to look for the possible "clon" of their talismatic goal getter and Highbury idol. Arsenal´s manager and Henry mentor Arsène Wenger as well as the board know about the desire of their talismanic No. 14 to sign his last contract with the biggest football club in the world FC Barcelona, trained by a friend, Frank Rijkaard. The Arsenal officials know that it will be almost impossible to hold Henry to the remaining one year left on his contract and it would be without any financial responsibility not to cash in on Henry just to let him go on a bosman free transfer one year later. Henry, now 28 years old (he will be 29 next August) knows this will be his last big contract and he wants to be part of a great winning side. Barça´s style and world class players are currently praised all over the world. Barça is dominating La Liga with an 11 point lead and is absolute top favourites for winning the Champions League. Pundits all over the world forsee even Barca dominating Europe for a while. Arsenal has had not its best campaign this year and todays 1-1 draw against arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspurs at home at Highbury dropped their chances significantly to qualify for UEFA´s Champions League. Even a fourth place would sent them into a qualification round. But Arsenal still has the hope to qualify for the Champions League by winning the Final in Paris. So, what is it to be, Thierry Henry?

Also Barca player´s and friends of Thierry Henry like Giuly or Etóo, with who "Tití" maintains regular contact are quite sure that Henry will join Barça. Of course, it is not up to them to anounce any confidential information before Thierry Henry himself speaks out officially. An official transfer anouncement a few weeks after the finish of the season and just when all the attention is directed to the Word Cup in Germany, would probably the best timing.