Soccer NewsThierry Henry will miss the FA Cup final after suffering a recurrence of his long-standing Achilles injury, it was confirmed yesterday.
It had been hoped that, following his half-time introduction in the 7-0 rout of Everton last Wednesday after a six-week absence with a groin problem, Henry would be fit to play in Saturday's English showpiece against Manchester United. However the France international's Achilles injury flared up again after that match and he was unable to recover in time for Sunday's trip to Birmingham, prompting manager Arsene Wenger to rule him out of the cup final.
Arsenal could face a striker crisis before their third Cardiff final in four years, with Jose Antonio Reyes also failing to feature against Birmingham. Dennis Bergkamp and Robin van Persie can expect to start, though Wenger will await for more news on Reyes before finalising his selection.
At least he can again count on Fredrik Ljungberg, another who has been suffering with a long-term injury, to his hip, this season.
"I think I will be available," said Ljungberg. "It is still swollen but it felt good in the (Birmingham) game. I can play with it."
Arsenal's equanimity has been further disturbed, with the Premier League's independent commission into allegations of an illegal approach by Chelsea to Ashley Cole set to take place in London's Bryanston Place today and tomorrow.
Reports yesterday suggested that Cole's agent Jonathan Barnett had made unscrupulous demands in the course of contract negotiations with Arsenal. The suggestion was met with Barnett and Cole's indignation.
"Ashley is furious," said Barnett. "If anyone had asked him if it was true, he would have told them it isn't. For me to have a fee would have required that I take a percentage of his salary. Since no contract was negotiated, there cannot have been a fee."
Ryan Giggs and Tim Howard have both signed two-year contract extensions with Manchester United. For Giggs the news ends a long-running saga and it had looked at one stage as though he was going to leave the club.
United chief executive David Gill had suggested he was unwilling to bend a club policy of not offering over 30s any more than a one-year deal but has now relented, allowing Giggs to stay on until 2008.
Giggs will become the first player to collect five FA Cup winners' medals for over a century should United beat Arsenal.
Providing he avoids major injury, he will also almost certainly threaten Bobby Charlton's landmark 759 appearances in all competitions for United, having made his 634th in the 2-1 triumph at St Mary's.
Giggs's astonishing medal collection - comprising eight Premiership titles, four FA Cups, a League Cup, European Cup and a World Club Championship - is housed in United's museum.
Elsewhere, Middlesbrough have agreed the £6.5million signing of Portsmouth striker Aiyegbeni Yakubu after he agreed personal terms and underwent a medical on Teesside yesterday.
The 22-year-old, who was left out of Portsmouth's final game of the season at West Brom on Sunday, was at Boro's training headquarters to discuss a move which has become one of football's worst-kept secrets.
