Bring Thierry Henry Back to Arsenal

Thierry Henry surprised the world in 2007 when he left Arsenal for Barcelona on a 24 million euro transfer only a year after declaring his undying love for the club, signing a four-year deal, and vowing to be a Gunner for life.

In some regards, it was a good move. Despite being played out of position at Barca, he was the club's top scorer with 19 goals in all competitions his debut season and second in league assists.

He upped that tally to 26 the following season in which Barcelona completed a treble, including a 2-nil victory over reigning title holders Manchester United in the 2009 Champions League Final. They converted that to an unprecedented sextuple in the fall when they added the Spanish Supercup, the UEFA Supercup, and the FIFA Club World Cup to their trophy haul.

To be part of a squad that completed a sextuple is certainly every footballer's dream, but few would argue that Henry appears to be a shadow of his former self. He expressed dissatisfaction in his first year at the Nou Camp and has even struggled for playing time this season, having made only 19 league appearances so far this season. 

Winning championships may be nice, but true competitors have a harder time enjoying them from the sidelines, preferring to be a vital aspect of a mid-table club rather than a peripheral member of a top team. 

Just ask Carlos Tevez.

I think Henry regrets leaving Arsenal despite the amount of silverware Barca has won since his arrival.  I think he misses the Gunners fans and playing at Emirates Stadium. 

I see the face of a man who does not appear to enjoy playing football as much anymore. No wonder his form is not what it once was. It's nearly impossible for an athlete to ever enter the zone when they are plagued by negative emotions.

Like everything in life, the Law of Attraction applies to football as well.

When he left London for Spain three years ago, there were those who felt Arsenal relied too heavily upon Henry, who even stated, "They would sometimes give it [the ball] to me even when I was not in the best position, so in that sense it was good for the team that I moved on."

At the start of the 2007 season, no one was certain how well the Gunners would fare without their captain. They were a young squad, but Cesc Fabregas stepped up and helped lead them to the quarter-finals of the Champions League and a third place finish in the EPL.

The following season, they finished fourth, advancing to the semi-finals in the FA Cup as well as the Champions League. They will finish third again this season, having exited the Champions League in the quarter-finals, despite losing Emmanuel Adebayor to Manchester City and Robin Van Persie to injury for the better part of the season.

The Gunners have not won a single piece of silverware since Henry's departure, but they have progressed into a fine squad of skilled youngsters who play some of the prettiest football in England. 

Had Van Persie been healthy for the entire season, it is quite possible that they would still be in the Champions League as well as the EPL title race. But like Michael Owen, Van Persie is notoriously injury-prone and relying on him to remain healthy for an entire season is a long shot, even if he is one of the world's best strikers when fit.

In all fairness, however, Arsene Wenger has managed to keep his side competitive despite his thrifty ways, but he must to spend money in the transfer market this summer if he wants to win titles. At the very least, he needs another striker. 

Why not bring back Thierry Henry?

This past January, Sol Campbell became the fifth player in Arsenal history to return to club, where he has been an integral part of the Gunners' back line in the wake of William Gallas' calf injury.

There is no doubt the fans would love to see Henry in a Gunners kit again as evidenced by the warm reception he received when Barcelona arrived at the Emirates for the 1st leg of the quarter-finals in this year's Champions League. With Thierry currently fighting for playing time, Wenger might even be able to buy him back for less than the 24 million euros he received in 2007. 

At one time, the Gunners may have depended too much upon Henry, but they have become an effective unit since his departure and reinserting him into the mix could only make them stronger.

It would give them a much-needed second striker (as well as a legitimate goal scoring option whenever Van Persie is inevitably injured). But more than anything, I think that he would be much happier back at the Emirates than he is at Camp Nou.

Besides, happy footballers score more goals.

And if Wenger really wants to be thrifty, he could even wait until 2011 (when Henry's four-year contract with Barcelona expires) and pick him up on a free transfer. But if Fabregas makes a move to Barca this summer, as many expect him to do, next year may be too late.