Thierry Henry is the prime transfer target for Summer, 2006. Barça´s board room doesn't make any secret of their admiration for the Arsenal hit-man. As far as coach Frank Rijkaard is concerned, he is the man to replace Henrik Larson who returns to Sweden next season.
Thierry Henry is considered to be the perfect player for the new 4-1-3-2 playing system that Rijkaard wants to implement for the 2006/7 season. Heated rumours abound that a deal to bring Thierry Henry from Arsenal to Barcelona FC has already been struck.
Reliable sources inform me that an oral agreement, confirming the deal, has been made. Actually, it wouldn't surprise me in the least. After all that noise coming from Arsenal Chairman Peter Hill-Wood. On Skysports.com Hill-Wood is quoted saying " We want him to stay... we have made him an absolute fantastic offer for the next 5 years... the amount makes me shudder because it is a lot of money". But the part of the quote that caught my attention was this; "If he wants to go to Barcelona, or somewhere else, there is absolutely nothing we can do about it, although somebody has to pay something get him." Looks to me a bit like playing the typical 'Player-is-greedy' Card in a battle they've already lost.
Seems to me, that Hill-Wood has to convince all Arsenal fans that they did everything, but everything - to keep their star player and to show how ambitious they are!
Just a new stadium is not enough Hillie, when you can play every home game in the most beautiful stadium in the world!
In my opinion, it's all done and dusted!
Welcome to Barcelona, Thierry!
The other name, that is always mentioned, at least in the Italian press, is Luca Toni. Europe's leading goalscorer is tipped to join Barça from Fiorentina after the World Cup. I'm a great admirer of Luca Toni and you can't deny that he's a prolific goalscorer. I believe in a great team like Barça, he will remain Europe's leading goalscorer for some years to come.
In my opinion, if for some strange reason, the deal between Arsenal and FC Barcelona fails to materialize (and lets face it, in football anything is possible), Luca Toni would be a fantastic addition to a great team.
But there is yet another player that is on Barça´s target list: Diego Forlan! Villareal´s Forlan is unquestionably a player who could gel with Rijkaard´s new playing system and as he proved last year, he is a great goalscorer (I hope Manchester United are reading this one because they probably aren't aware of the fact). He would be the easiest target to get and certainly a sensible and, to the fans, acceptible replacement for Henrik Larson.
My verdict: Henry joins Barça! But if not, there are 2 great alternatives in Luca Toni and Diego Forlan that will make the Barca crowd happy. We can afford to lay back, relax and watch our current record-winning streak extended long after the summer. It will be very difficult to beat this team. One thing's for sure it will not be the "Merengues" or Non-Galacticos of Real Madrid!
