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Long months of speculation and rumors about Thierry Henry's future have finally come to an end - the Frenchman has signed a new four-year contract with the London club and intends to finish his career there.
His previous contract, which made him one of the best forwards in the world, was still valid for another year, but the final decision about his future had to be made now, as there were several top clubs from the continent showing a strong desire to acquire the footballer.
"At one point, I thought I would leave," Thierry Henry said at a specially organized press conference. "But I decided to trust my heart, and it told me to stay.
"I never played in Spain and I will never play there. This is my last contract.
"England is the best country to play football. I like the passion here, and footballers can do their job properly because they are very respected."
Thierry Henry also stated that the recent setback a couple of days ago, but the fantastic and fighting performance of "Arsenal" in the UEFA Champions League final against the same club, "Barcelona," had a significant impact on his decision: "We can be proud of what we did.
"This match once again showed me how far this team can go. The players showed that they are a team full of heart and great talent.
"Lately, the fans have been fantastic as well, so after losing on Wednesday, I could not let them down. It was another reason why I decided to continue my career wearing the "Arsenal" shirt.
Thierry Henry arrived in London in August 1999 from Turin for £10.5 million. During this period, the Frenchman became the club's all-time leading goal scorer - with 214 goals in 342 matches. This season in the English Premier League, Thierry Henry scored against opponents 27 times, and in the Champions League, he scored 5 goals.
"Before the start of this week, I had two goals - to win the UEFA Champions League trophy and to keep Thierry Henry in the team," said Arsenal's head coach Arsene Wenger. "I managed to achieve only one, but for the future of the club, this is really the best thing.
"We are the only club with three teenagers representing us at the World Cup - Theo Walcott, Cesc Fabregas, and Johan Djourou. When they come back, we will be much stronger and will be like having three new signings. Additionally, we will try to acquire one or two capable players in the summer, so we will become even stronger and be able to aim for new victories."
