Wenger confident Henry will commit to Gunners
Arsene Wenger is convinced Thierry Henry will remain at Arsenal after being offered a four-year contract extension that would make him the highest-paid player at the club.
Long coveted by Barcelona, Henry scored his 200th goal for the Gunners in their 2-0 win over Birmingham City on Saturday but the question over whether he is staying or going in the summer continues to rumble on.
Manager Wenger reckons the France international, who joined from Juventus in 1999, will accept the deal on offer and continue writing his name into the club's history books for years to come.
"I think he will stay," Wenger told France Football magazine. "This is my opinion, what I truly believe deep inside.
"Rebuilding a team, going as far as possible and winning the Champions League with this club will have more meaning (for Henry) than with any other side.
"He will have achieved his sporting aims and marked Arsenal's history like no other player ever has.
"He is already a historical player at the club and he is also one of the best players in the world.
"He will have the highest salary at Arsenal."
Spanish giants Barcelona are the main candidates to poach Henry but Wenger brushed off that idea.
"I have not even discussed about all that with Thierry," he added. "I don't even know the name of the clubs he likes."
Asked whether Arsenal have not become too dependant on Henry, Wenger admitted: "In a way yes we are, this is the bad side of players like him, who are always hungry for goals.
"The game of a team always depends on its strengths and if that strength becomes too dominant you become dependent on it.
"Thierry always gets the ball but he is so strong that you feel he will always make the difference.
"At Real Madrid (Zinedine) Zidane is asking for the ball and his team-mates give it to him.
"But it's more difficult for the strikers because they always have to be in the areas where they can be best served."
Wenger also admitted they are keen to keep hold of winger Robert Pires.
"Robert Pires has had a good campaign despite a difficult start," he said.
"We offered him a one-year extension but he has not yet responded."
