Wenger happy with Henry promise on Arsenal future

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said he was happy with the promise by striker Thierry Henry, seen here 18 March 2006, that his club future would be resolved before the World Cup finals get underway in Germany in June.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger insisted he'd no problems with star striker Thierry Henry's announcement that his club future would be resolved before the World Cup finals get underway in Germany in June.

The 28-year-old France international has been repeatedly linked with a move to Spanish giants Barcelona although Arsenal are keen to keep the keystone of their attack at Highbury.

"At the end of the season we are going to have to take a decision. It will be done before the World Cup, that's for sure," Henry, who scored the Gunners' second goal in their 2-0 midweek Champions League quarter-final first leg win at home to Juventus, said Friday.

And later in the day compatriot Wenger reacted by saying: "On my side it has always been the same, on his side, only Thierry can explain where he stands.

"Thierry has said many times he is ambitious and wants to be part of an ambitious club. I feel that we are one.

"The World Cup starts on June 9, so we should know on June 8 at midnight!", Wenger jokingly added.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, seen here 27 March 2006, insisted he'd no problems with star striker Thierry Henry's announcement that his club future would be resolved before the World Cup finals get underway in Germany in June.

However, he stressed: "When he is ready, I have no deadline.

"I do not think it would be good for him to wait until after the World Cup, although for me it would be less disturbing than for him.

"You can get calls during the World Cup and it can disturb your focus. He came out right to say he will decide before the World Cup."

Arsenal have sometimes been criticised in the past for trying to keep to a tight wage structure in comparison with their Premiership and European rivals.

But Henry insisted financial considerations would not be a factor in whether he stayed or moved.

"People were talking about money, but I think people should know by now I am not someone who thinks about the money before the game," he added.

"That is why, when I talked about sporting ambitions, I was talking about the pitch and nothing else," Henry also told Arsenal TV Online.

In the meantime he stressed that the speculation over his future was not affecting his performance.

"People wonder whether it does disturb me, but I said so many times when you look at my performances on the pitch for my club that should be an answer to all these kind of questions.

Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger(L) embracing with striker Thierry Henry in 2004. The 28-year-old France international has been repeatedly linked with a move to Spanish giants Barcelona although Arsenal are keen to keep the keystone of their attack at Highbury.

"We are talking with the board and with Arsenal at the moment about the contract situation. But there are so many things at stake that we should talk about.

"My main concern right now is to finish in the top four - because it's vital for the club and anything that is going to happen at the club next, and to concentrate on winning the Champions League.

"That is where my focus is right now, because if you start to think of (contract talks) over what you should be thinking about on the pitch then it can disturb you. But it hasn't."

Arsenal are currently five points shy of fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur but do have a game in hand over their North London rivals.

However, Henry admitted that with planning his future had been made more difficult by there being so many unresolved factors in Arsenal's season.

"If we were maybe like Chelsea - 20 (sic) points ahead and in the semi-final of the FA Cup, and already out of the Champions League - maybe you can start to think about stuff," he added.

"We are not in that situation, and I cannot afford to keep my foot off the pedal and think about other stuff when my team needs me to be focused on what we're doing right now - trying to get in the top four and maybe, finally, getting our hands on that (Champions League) trophy."