Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger yesterday rejected reports from Spain his captain Thierry Henry had agreed to join Barcelona next season.
The 28-year-old World Cup winner has declared his desire to remain in north London, but as yet no new contract has been formally agreed.
Barcelona president Joan Laporta is a keen admirer of Henry, although the club themselves have officially refused to comment on the possibility of striker moving to the Nou Camp.
Wenger declared: "I do not believe there is any truth in that because I cannot imagine that Thierry would do that. Secondly, do not forget Thierry is under contract until 2007, so anything agreed without us being involved can only be invented because it cannot be true.
"After that there is a game going on between the Spanish press and English press. The Spanish press brings something out that is not true and the English press answers that, and the same on the other side . . . I cannot stop any noises or transfer rumours. I tried for a while and I could not do it, so there are a few solutions. Either Thierry extends his contract now or does it at the end of the season, or I do not know what his intention to do really is."
A key issue is reported to be whether Arsenal can show Henry they are willing to match his own sporting ambition, and a move to the new 60,000-seat Emirates Stadium is certainly a step in the right direction. Arsenal are c facing a real battle to secure Champions League football again next season.
They host Charlton today looking to keep the pressure on fourth-placed Tottenham, while Juventus await them in the quarter-finals of Europe's top competition. Wenger, however, understood there were more than just pure footballing matters for Henry to consider. "A player like Thierry Henry will want to play Champions League, but there is more at stake than that - than one year in the Champions League," the Arsenal boss said. "It is 'do I want to finish my career at the club?' And to be a player who has dedicated his career, his sports life basically, to one club or not?"
Wenger admits he has had a soft spot for Real Madrid since childhood but has no intentions of leaving Arsenal just yet as he looks to build them into one of the strongest sides in Europe. Reports in Spain suggest new Real president Fernando Martin is keen on luring the Frenchman to the Bernabeu, with AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti and former boss Vicente Del Bosque also said to be on his wishlist. But the 56-year-old - who is contracted until the summer of 2008 - insists he has unfinished business at Arsenal.
Meanwhile, Wenger feels Sol Campbell is "looking good" to retake his place at the heart of the England defence for the World Cup, and revealed Ashley Cole could be back in action for Arsenal within a month.
Although centre half Campbell featured for the reserves earlier this week, Wenger will not rush the 31-year-old into the squad for today's match against Charlton. Campbell had not played since February 1st after suffering an ankle problem following an extended leave of absence in the wake of his poor performance during the first half of the defeat by West Ham.
Cole has been plagued by fitness worries this season, his own latest ankle problem picked up when on the comeback trail from a thigh injury which followed rehabilitation from a broken foot.
Wenger yesterday revealed the prognosis for the defensive duo was positive. "Sol is working hard and is getting sharper," the Arsenal manager said. On Cole's fitness, Wenger said: "Ashley is still in the treatment room. He will start to jog a little bit next week and then you have at least to count two weeks to train again, so three weeks to play."