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Hand off Henry, Wenger warns Barcelona
(Xinhua/Reuters)
Updated: 2005-12-23 09:41
LONDON, December 22 (Xinhua) -- Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger warned
Barcelona on Thursday to leave Thierry Henry alone after the Spanish club
claimed to be interested in the French striker.
Wener was incensed by Barcelona president Joan Laporta who stated the club
"will do all we can to sign Thierry Henry" in the summer.
Wenger has threatened to report Barca over their interest in the 28-year-old.
He was quoted by BBC Radio Five Live as saying: "Laporta cannot make a
statement like that. It shows a lack of respect. I will try to do something
about it.
"If they want to sign Thierry they have to call us because he is under
contract for another 18 months."
Striker Henry has so far refused to discuss a new deal at Arsenal.
And that leaves the club in a precarious position - they may have to sell
their record goalscorer at the end of the season or allow him to walk out for
free the following year.
However, Wenger maintains there is a correct way to make an approach for a
player and believes Barcelona's methods are "unfair and unsettling".
He added: "I feel every chairman, be it from Doncaster or Barcelona, should
respect the rules in football.
"I'm not worried about Thierry being unsettled. I just think it is negative
publicity for Arsenal and we don't need that."
Hard work needed to turn things round, says Wenger
LONDON COLNEY, England, Dec 22 (Reuters) - Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says
his players need to roll their sleeves up to get through their current poor
spell if they are to avoid finishing outside the top two for the first time
since 1997.
The Frenchman has overseen a remarkable consistency since his arrival in
September 1996, finishing third that season and in the top two every year since.
But they go into Monday's game at Charlton Athletic in eighth place in the
Premier League, 20 points behind leaders Chelsea and having lost three league
games in a row for the first time in Wenger's reign.
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