Henry signs for Barcelona

[tmonkey]

theres too many rumours about now! milan were after ronaldinho according to some people last night

 

Pirlo, Seedorf, Gattusso, Kaka, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo. Would be some team that.

[Guest kingdawson]

Milan will probably sign Shevchenko.

[tmonkey]

leaving Messi to complete his move to SPurs

 

And if he were to sign for Madrid or Milan instead of Spurs, hed only be doing it for the money.

[Guest kingdawson]

leaving Messi to complete his move to SPurs

 

And if he were to sign for Madrid or Milan instead of Spurs, hed only be doing it for the money.

 

Agreed .

[Tooj]

Don't know why Suazo chose Inter instead of AC, him and Ronaldo would have been a cracking partnership.

[Shak]

im in no doubt that their gonna push Messi in a more advanced position and move Ronaldinho centrally.

 

Leaving Henry and Etoo' where?

 

Personally I reckon either Etoo' will be gone and Henry will replace him pretty much in a direct swap, or else Deco will go and they'll play with Messi and Ronaldinho as drifting AM's just off Henry and Etoo'...

 

Barcelona will be pretty handy in Pro Evo.

 

As i said before, i think the formation will look something like:

 

           

                -------Xavi------- iniesta/new player

 

------------------------Ronaldinho--------------------------

 

-------Eto-----------------------------------------Messi------

 

-------------------------Henry-------------------------------

 

Deco is as good as gone imo.

 

Ronaldinho has looked absolutely useless playing in the position for Brazil (last years WC for instance) while on the one or two occasions I've seen Etoo' play off the striker he's been much less effective than when he is the main man up front.

[Mike]

Henry has some experience playing RW, doesn't he? You could leave Eto'o up front, and toss Henry on the right. It's not as if they won't be switching positions on the fly anyhow.

[Dokko]

He left because his pal Dein got the heave-ho

 

Exactly, first sign of trouble.  It's almost petty like, wouldn't stop whining about it.

 

For me it was an excuse, a reason to leave.

 

Wenger's probably gutted, it was his walk away without infuriating the fans clause as well.

 

 

[Gallowgate Toon]

whatever anyone says about his age or injury record Henry is arguably the best all-round player to grace the premiership and 16 million is an absolute steal for Barca considering micahel owen was £17 million for us also for players like henry age doesnt matter but hes only 29 ffs price shouldnt drop because of age

[Dokko]

whatever anyone says about his age or injury record Henry is arguably the best all-round player to grace the premiership and 16 million is an absolute steal for Barca considering micahel owen was £17 million for us also for players like henry age doesnt matter but hes only 29 ffs price shouldnt drop because of age

 

But it does, footballers do not last forever, the closer they get to retirement the cheaper they become.

 

This was Arsenal's last chance to get good money for him, they sold at the right time, the fee is a fair one imo.

 

 

[Gallowgate Toon]

whatever anyone says about his age or injury record Henry is arguably the best all-round player to grace the premiership and 16 million is an absolute steal for Barca considering micahel owen was £17 million for us also for players like henry age doesnt matter but hes only 29 ffs price shouldnt drop because of age

 

But it does, footballers do not last forever, the closer they get to retirement the cheaper they become.

 

This was Arsenal's last chance to get good money for him, they sold at the right time, the fee is a fair one imo.

 

 

 

Zidane went to real in 2001 aged 30 for £47 million and was class, and henry isnt as good as zidane but hes certainly up there i think £20 million would have been alot more justifiable.

[Dokko]

whatever anyone says about his age or injury record Henry is arguably the best all-round player to grace the premiership and 16 million is an absolute steal for Barca considering micahel owen was £17 million for us also for players like henry age doesnt matter but hes only 29 ffs price shouldnt drop because of age

 

But it does, footballers do not last forever, the closer they get to retirement the cheaper they become.

 

This was Arsenal's last chance to get good money for him, they sold at the right time, the fee is a fair one imo.

 

 

 

Zidane went to real in 2001 aged 30 for £47 million and was class, and henry isnt as good as zidane but hes certainly up there i think £20 million would have been alot more justifiable.

 

Zidane is 35 now, that would of made him 29 surly?

 

And if you look at when he was born and the day he was transferred, he'd only just turned 29.

 

 

[Gallowgate Toon]

whatever anyone says about his age or injury record Henry is arguably the best all-round player to grace the premiership and 16 million is an absolute steal for Barca considering micahel owen was £17 million for us also for players like henry age doesnt matter but hes only 29 ffs price shouldnt drop because of age

 

But it does, footballers do not last forever, the closer they get to retirement the cheaper they become.

 

This was Arsenal's last chance to get good money for him, they sold at the right time, the fee is a fair one imo.

 

 

 

Zidane went to real in 2001 aged 30 for £47 million and was class, and henry isnt as good as zidane but hes certainly up there i think £20 million would have been alot more justifiable.

 

Zidane is 35 now, that would of made him 29 surly?

 

And if you look at when he was born and the day he was transferred, he'd only just turned 29.

 

 

 

well 29, but henry is 29 now but almost at 30

[Dokko]

whatever anyone says about his age or injury record Henry is arguably the best all-round player to grace the premiership and 16 million is an absolute steal for Barca considering micahel owen was £17 million for us also for players like henry age doesnt matter but hes only 29 ffs price shouldnt drop because of age

 

But it does, footballers do not last forever, the closer they get to retirement the cheaper they become.

 

This was Arsenal's last chance to get good money for him, they sold at the right time, the fee is a fair one imo.

 

 

 

Zidane went to real in 2001 aged 30 for £47 million and was class, and henry isnt as good as zidane but hes certainly up there i think £20 million would have been alot more justifiable.

 

Zidane is 35 now, that would of made him 29 surly?

 

And if you look at when he was born and the day he was transferred, he'd only just turned 29.

 

 

 

well 29, but henry is 29 now but almost at 30

 

Henry isn't on the form of his life though, whereas Zidane was at his peak, and that's why the fee was so high. Henry peaked about 2 seasons ago, and needs the move to freshen himself up imo.

 

I get what you are saying in general though, in comparison to the £17m Bent saga, its daylight robbery.

 

 

[Shak]

Think 16m is a very small fee for Henry.

 

He's a fantastic physical specimen, can't see him losing his pace for another 4 or 5 years with how well he keeps himself in shape. So Barca are getting 4 years service from what will be one of the greatest players in the world for 16m, while somebody looks like they'll be paying the same amount for Darren Bent. Even if Bent is younger and has his best years ahead of him, he'll never be able to give to any club over the rest of his career what Henry will give Barca over the next four years.

 

The likes of Bellamy are being priced at 12m.

 

Arsenal are getting absolutely raped here tbh.

[Dokko]

Think 16m is a very small fee for Henry.

 

He's a fantastic physical specimen, can't see him losing his pace for another 4 or 5 years with how well he keeps himself in shape. So Barca are getting 4 years service from what will be one of the greatest players in the world for 16m, while somebody looks like they'll be paying the same amount for Darren Bent. Even if Bent is younger and has his best years ahead of him, he'll never be able to give to any club over the rest of his career what Henry will give Barca over the next four years.

 

The likes of Bellamy are being priced at 12m.

 

Arsenal are getting absolutely raped here tbh.

 

I honestly think he's already starting to lose his pace.

 

This season when i've seen him he looked like he'd lost a bit, nothing drastic, but a sign its downhill from here.

 

La Liga will suit him more, he'll just waltz through defenses instead of bursting through them here.

[Shak]

Think 16m is a very small fee for Henry.

 

He's a fantastic physical specimen, can't see him losing his pace for another 4 or 5 years with how well he keeps himself in shape. So Barca are getting 4 years service from what will be one of the greatest players in the world for 16m, while somebody looks like they'll be paying the same amount for Darren Bent. Even if Bent is younger and has his best years ahead of him, he'll never be able to give to any club over the rest of his career what Henry will give Barca over the next four years.

 

The likes of Bellamy are being priced at 12m.

 

Arsenal are getting absolutely raped here tbh.

 

I honestly think he's already starting to lose his pace.

 

This season when i've seen him he looked like he'd lost a bit, nothing drastic, but a sign its downhill from here.

 

La Liga will suit him more, he'll just waltz through defenses instead of bursting through them here.

 

Dunno bout that, that goal against Liverpool in the FA Cup last season was about as fast as I've ever seen someone run on a football pitch tbh.

 

Think last season might have just been a case of him losing his appetite for it a bit when he saw how far behind Man U and Chelsea they'd fallen.

[Guest Alan Shearer 9]

he may not lose his pace, but with senile dementia looming ever closer his footballing brain will deteriorate to a state where he can't play at all

[Dokko]

Think 16m is a very small fee for Henry.

 

He's a fantastic physical specimen, can't see him losing his pace for another 4 or 5 years with how well he keeps himself in shape. So Barca are getting 4 years service from what will be one of the greatest players in the world for 16m, while somebody looks like they'll be paying the same amount for Darren Bent. Even if Bent is younger and has his best years ahead of him, he'll never be able to give to any club over the rest of his career what Henry will give Barca over the next four years.

 

The likes of Bellamy are being priced at 12m.

 

Arsenal are getting absolutely raped here tbh.

 

I honestly think he's already starting to lose his pace.

 

This season when i've seen him he looked like he'd lost a bit, nothing drastic, but a sign its downhill from here.

 

La Liga will suit him more, he'll just waltz through defenses instead of bursting through them here.

 

Dunno bout that, that goal against Liverpool in the FA Cup last season was about as fast as I've ever seen someone run on a football pitch tbh.

 

Think last season might have just been a case of him losing his appetite for it a bit when he saw how far behind Man U and Chelsea they'd fallen.

 

Could be.

 

Could also be him coming back from injuries, it also could be that he doesn't look as fast on a proper sized football pitch instead of Subbuteo Park, aka Highbury.

 

But these injuries he has been having will slow him down at his age, its inevitable in the end.

 

 

[johnnypd]

Think 16m is a very small fee for Henry.

 

He's a fantastic physical specimen, can't see him losing his pace for another 4 or 5 years with how well he keeps himself in shape. So Barca are getting 4 years service from what will be one of the greatest players in the world for 16m, while somebody looks like they'll be paying the same amount for Darren Bent. Even if Bent is younger and has his best years ahead of him, he'll never be able to give to any club over the rest of his career what Henry will give Barca over the next four years.

 

The likes of Bellamy are being priced at 12m.

 

Arsenal are getting absolutely raped here tbh.

 

agree. the thing is he isn't exactly going to transform barca's first XI tho as they've already got a pretty perfect attacking lineup. in a way this may cause them as many problems as it solves, like the arrival of Ballack and Sheva last summer at chelsea. had Henry gone some place else i think it would put the fee into perspective. your getting one of the best players in the world on the cheap, if he went somewhere like here, for instance, he would be the sort of player to propel us into the top 4 quite easily, if he stayed fit. or if he went to Real he'd give them the creativity, pace and skill they lack and be a perfect partner to RVN.

[ohmelads]

When you consider all he has done for the club I don't think he owes them anything, and it's not like he's leaving them short changed a la Owen leaving Liverpool for £8m. He signed an extended contract and the price is what it is because of his age and nothing else.

 

Some of the criticism on here is extremely harsh in my view. It's unfortunate for Arsenal fans but the club are getting £16m, if he was ever going to leave now is probably the right time to do it for player and club.

 

So long as Wenger stays Arsenal will be alright. With the money coming in for him and presumably for Reyes too I think they'll bring in a quality forward and change their style. I also expect them to strengthen in other areas anyway. Wenger is the key though.

 

Regarding the Spanish league, I wouldn't be surprised to see Real try and match this coup with a massive offer for Kaka.

[Baggio]

ARSENE WENGER is lining up a sensational £11million swoop to take Nicolas Anelka back to Arsenal.

 

 

And the Gunners boss wants Ajax stars Klaas Jan Huntelaar and Ryan Babel as back-up if he fails to land the Frenchman.

 

 

Emirates skipper Thierry Henry is set to join Barcelona for £16m tomorrow after a medical and Wenger's top target to replace him is Bolton's former Gunner Anelka.

 

 

A source close to the Arsenal boss said: "Arsene reluctantly allowed Thierry to go. It is sad for everyone concerned but Thierry made it clear that this is what he wants to do. And Arsene definitely believes Anelka is the ideal replacement.

 

 

"If he doesn't get Anelka then he will go for Jan Huntelaar — and Babel is also a possibility."

 

 

Wenger has maintained a close link with Anelka, 28, despite the

 

striker's acrimonious departure from Arsenal when he joined Real Madrid in a £22million deal in 1999.

 

 

 

And we understand he's already held preliminary talks with Anelka's people to sound him out about a move to the Emirates.

 

Anelka, 28, who joined Bolton for £8m last year from Fenerbahce, would jump at the chance to work with Wenger again.

 

He bagged 11 goals in 35 Premiership games last season and three of those came against Arsenal.

 

 

The legendary Arsenal boss had discovered Anelka as a 17-year-old prodigy and paid Paris St Germain just £500,000 for him in 1997.

 

But the France star left Arsenal just 18 months later to join Madrid the following season – after forcing his way out of North London.

 

Barcelona finally snatched Henry – as we told you first and exclusively three weeks ago – for £16m this week.

 

 

It left Wenger looking for a top-class striker and if his move for Anelka falls through the French boss will go all out to bring Jan Huntelaar and Babel to the Emirates for a combined fee of about £25m.

 

 

Jan Huntelaar, 24, has also been targeted by Manchester United as well as Liverpool and Newcastle.

 

The Ajax superstar bagged 37 goals in 48 appearances for the Dutch giants last term and Wenger rates him highly.

 

 

Babel, 20, has already got 14 caps and four goals for Holland and was the star of their Under-21 side in the European Championships that ended last night (SATURDAY).

 

 

He's scored 14 goals in 73 appearances for Ajax since making his debut as a 17-year-old prodigy a couple of years back.

 

 

 

http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/story_pages/sport/sport1.shtml

[Mowen]

Have to say, aside from everything else I'm going to be sad to see Henry leave the league. One of my favourite non-NUFC players to grace the premiership and an absolute joy to watch. Farewell.

[Gash]

Babel/Huntelaar i want to TRY and replace the man!!

 

Although i see Babel better as a winger!

 

BOth meh, but you know wenger, he probably thinks Bendtner can replace Henry

 

In Arsene i trust though!

[Guest Dev]

Yeah, but after that CL final Henry produced the worst case of "Bad loser syndrome" I've ever seen.  Everything he said was a load of s***.

 

Yeah, I lost a lot of respect for him after that. If, as it seems, he's left here of his own decision and not been pushed, this just confirms it. To go through that whole tantrum before finally letting yourself be begged into staying, only to put in a crap season and depart anyway, seems a bit rich to me. I don't mind players switching clubs but the ones who are looking for something better every transfer period are beyond the pale for me.