Former Arsenal CEO reveals why they sold club legend to Barcelona in 2007 – ‘He was losing…’ | OneFootball

Former Arsenal CEO Keith Edelman has shed light on why the Premier League club decided to part ways with Thierry Henry, allowing him to join Barcelona in the summer of 2007.

It must be noted that the French striker had already established himself as an Arsenal legend, spending eight seasons at the club and becoming their all-time leading scorer.

However, he eventually fulfilled his dream of playing for Barcelona, moving to Camp Nou for €24 million in 2007.

While Henry did not quite replicate the dazzling form he displayed at the Emirates, he was still a key figure during his three seasons in Spain.

Part of the historic team

Under Pep Guardiola, Henry played a crucial role in the historic 2008-09 campaign, helping Barcelona win an unprecedented sextuple—claiming La Liga, the Copa del Rey, the Champions League, the Spanish Super Cup, the UEFA Super Cup, and the FIFA Club World Cup.

By the time he left the club in 2010, he had amassed 49 goals in 121 appearances and won two La Liga titles.

Thierry Henry had a successful spell at Barcelona. (Photo by Lars Baron/Bongarts/Getty Images)

Despite his contributions to Barcelona’s success, Arsenal have no regrets about letting him go.

Why did Arsenal Henry?

In an interview, as relayed by SPORT, Edelman explained the reasoning behind the decision:

“The reason why Thierry left was that he was losing speed. His game was basically based on speed. And if you lose speed, you’re dead.

“So, what we did was we got money for him even though he was in a slump,” Edelman recalled.

Edelman further justified the move by drawing a comparison to Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne, suggesting that clubs must decide whether to sell a player before their decline accelerates.

“Would it have been better to sell him at the end of last year for more money? Or keep him and risk continuing this season?” he remarked.

In hindsight, Arsenal’s decision to cash in on Henry was a pragmatic one, even though he went on to enjoy further success in Spain.