Gunners to offer Henry record deal

ARSENAL chairman Peter Hill-Wood has indicated the club are ready to make Thierry Henry the highest paid player in their history.

Henry, currently sidelined with a groin injury, has made it clear he does not want to enter into discussions over his future until the end of the season, when he’ll have just 12 months to run on his current deal, which is reportedly worth £75,000 a week.

Spanish giants Barcelona are said to be interested in Henry, and could get him at a cut price if the striker does not agree a new contract.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger maintains he is unconcerned by the delay in talks, respecting the wishes of his talisman forward.

Henry will be 29 in August, and Hill-Wood remains determined not to let another key man leave the club, as Patrick Vieira did during the summer.

“We have not talked about the offer yet, but it is fair to say he would become the highest paid player in Arsenal’s history - and deservedly so,” Hill-Wood said.

“We would also have liked to talk before the end of the season, but it is Thierry’s right to leave it until then.

“It is his life - but we want him to stay and he knows that.”

Henry has not played since early September after picking up a groin injury during France’s World Cup qualifier against the Republic of Ireland at Lansdowne Road.

It had been hoped the striker would be available for the Premiership trip to West Brom on Saturday.

However, that now looks less likely, with the player himself reluctant to talk up his chances of a return.

“I have not set a date for my comeback in the Premier League. I am living day after day so far,” Henry said. “I can’t anticipate or forecast anything. I’ll see how I’ve reacted to the efforts of Monday. If I am fine, it can improve quickly, but I don’t really know if that will be the case, nor when I will resume with the rest of the group. The aim is to listen to my body.”

Wenger will, meanwhile, definitely be without Ashley Cole for up to six weeks after it was confirmed he had a stress fracture of his foot.

However, the news on Sol Campbell is more promising after the veteran defender, who had just returned from a long injury lay-off, limped out of England’s victory over Austria with a hamstring problem. The injury though, is reported to be less severe than first feared, and Campbell could return for the Premiership clash with Manchester City on October 22 - although he seems certain to miss the West Brom game and the Champions League trip to Sparta Prague.