The 34-year-old Henry, who played for Arsenal from 1999
until 2007 and is their all-time record goalscorer, would be eligible to play
for the Premier League club during Major League Soccer's close season from
Sunday when the January transfer window opens.
"It's a two-month loan deal - the paperwork needs to be
done, the agreements, the insurances, I don't take care of that, but that is
not completed," Wenger told a news conference.
"We have to respect all of the agreements with the MLS
and Red Bulls to finalize it, so we cannot announce it yet, it is not done.
"We are doing it because Marouane Chamakh and Gervinho
are going to the African Nations Cup and he will be ideal cover for two months.
"He has experience, quality, he knows the club, he can
help the players on and off the pitch, and that's basically it." Henry
played 369 times for Arsenal during his eight years in north London, scoring a
club record 226 goals and winning two Premier League titles and three FA Cups.
He then spent three seasons at Barcelona before joining New York Red Bulls last
year.
Although the former France international could play at
Fulham next Monday, Wenger hinted a more likely return could be against Leeds
United in the FA Cup third round on Jan. 9 or the Premier League match at
Swansea on Jan. 15.
Asked how close he was to match fitness, Wenger replied:
"He needs two good weeks work." Wenger continued: "It can only
be positive because he has exceptional talent and is a very intelligent man and
he has the desire to help the club, but it is difficult to measure how positive
his influence will be.
"We will not put too much pressure on him. He is here
to help out, he will not be the main player in the squad.
"I respect his desire to help us to get through the
period where we lose two strikers, but he is 34 years old. He has not lost his
class or his brain and that will be just enough for us." "He still
has good pace. He had exceptional pace but what you lose with age is the
capacity to repeat it." Henry has been training with Arsenal for the last
three weeks and was moved to tears this month at the unveiling of a statue in
his honor at the Emirates Stadium.
"I was fortunate to win a lot of stuff in my career,
but this tops it all," he said when the statue depicting him kneeling
after scoring a goal was unveiled.
"You can't even dream about it. The statue of me
kneeling in front of the stadium is a great honor because that is exactly how I
feel about Arsenal Football Club." Arsenal have recovered well after a
poor start to the season and are currently fifth in the Premier League after
just one defeat in their last 11 matches.
