Arsenal Transfer Ideas: Re-Signing Thierry Henry a Huge Mistake by the Gunners

It never makes sense to go back to an ex. 

For the most part (at least in my experience), that has proven to be a sound piece of advice. 

Sure, when the potential arises, we all choose to ignore the irreconcilable differences that led to the split, instead focusing solely on the good times. 

Nostalgia takes over. 

But if you slow down and look at the matter logically, for the most part, disaster can be averted.

Arsenal needs to slow down and look at its proposed return move for Thierry Henry carefully. 

Henry, currently plying his trade for the New York Red Bulls in the MLS, is without a doubt one of Arsenal’s finest ever players. 

The majestic Frenchman joined the North London club in 1999, and graced the Highbury (briefly Emirates Stadium) pitch for eight seasons, delighting the Gunners faithful. 

In 254 appearances, he found the back of the net on 174 occasions. 

Accolades of an individual and team nature flooded Henry’s ever-growing trophy cabinet.

PFA Player of the Year, PFA Team of the Year, Footballer of the Year, two-time Premier League Champions and three-time FA Cup winners. 

As a result of his impressive resume, Henry was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame in 2008. 

However, since his departure from the Emirates, Henry’s career has been on an expected downwards trajectory. 

The injuries that plagued his final years in North London followed Henry to Barcelona, where he only scored 35 goals in his 80 appearances before having his role in the line-up usurped by the blistering young Spaniard Pedro Rodriguez. 

It was then that Henry was sold on to the New York Red Bulls, where he has toiled away in something of a level of anonymity, at least in comparison to his glory days at the peak of European football. 

In his 37 appearances for the Red Bulls, he has netted 16 times.

Not the greatest return for a player that was once regarded as the best striker on the planet.

So with news that Arsenal is on the verge of completing a two-month loan deal for their once-great front man, the rational behind such a move continues to perplex. 

While it cannot be questioned that there would be a certain amount of goodwill and nostalgia of Arsenal’s most recent successes, Henry would be a step in the wrong direction for the club. 

Even with current forwards Gervinho and Marouane Chamakh set to miss the beginning of the second half of the season due to African Cup duties, turning to a 34-year-old striker with a litany of injury problems hardly seems like the best move to make. Especially when he has been away from the top-level of the game for almost two years.

Arsenal need to stop gazing longingly at Henry through rose-tinted glasses and instead turn their attentions elsewhere.

Another striker is needed for the Gunners in January, but that search should not take them to New York.