Thierry Henry is making it hard to say goodbye.
After the on-loan striker scored a stoppage-time goal in Arsenal’s 7-1 rout of Blackburn at Emirates Stadium on Saturday, manager Arsène Wenger admitted he may try to extend the Gunners icon’s time back in North London.
Henry is due to return to the New York Red Bulls following Arsenal’s Feb. 15 date at AC Milan in the UEFA Champions League, but Wenger suggested he’ll speak to the MLS club like to keep his fellow Frenchman longer.
"I haven't looked at it," Wenger told reporters on Saturday. "Maybe the maximum possibility we have is two more weeks."
Henry came off the bench in the 68th minute on Saturday with Arsenal already up 6-1 on the 10-man visitors and punctuated a banner night for the home side with a strike in stoppage time. The goal is the second for Henry during his loan spell and brings his career tally with Arsenal to 228. More importantly, the result brings the Gunners to within two points of fourth-place Chelsea.
Saturday’s match would be the last home game for Henry under the terms of his loan. Arsenal head to Sunderland next weekend and to Milan the following week before the Frenchman is due to return to his MLS club.
But Wenger said Henry’s influence on his young club – and his badly needed scoring touch – have been vital as Arsenal enter a crucial stretch of the season.
"How much, you can never give a percentage, but he was very positive and everyone takes his advice on board because he has delivered here and they want to deliver, too," Wenger said of Henry’s loan spell. "He is respected and he was very positive.”
