Thierry Henry questions Arsene Wenger’s potential Arsenal return following Mikel Arteta talks

Thierry Henry has raised questions about Arsene Wenger‘s return to Arsenal after Mikel Arteta confirmed talks have been made to bring the iconic Frenchman back to north London.

Arteta revealed last week that he met up with Wenger at the launch of his film last month and claimed the 72-year-old would be a ‘great help’ around the club.

But Henry – who Wenger brought to Arsenal in 1996 and made him captain nearly a decade later – admitted he feels Arteta was made to keep the door open as turning against Arsenal’s greatest ever manager would have been a bad PR move for him.  

Thierry Henry (left) has raised questions over Arsene Wenger’s (right) potential Arsenal return

Mikel Arteta (left) has reiterated his desire to bring Wenger (right) back closer to Arsenal

‘What is he supposed to say?’ said Henry to Amazon Prime Sport when asked about Arteta’s comments on Wenger’s possible return. ‘Is he supposed to say, “No, I will close the door to the biggest manager ever of Arsenal Football Club?”… no!

‘If he comes what is he going to do? Who is going to be in charge? Is Edu now still working? What is it?

‘I have one point. He was in a situation where the words he was going to use were always going to be (diplomatic). What is he supposed to say?’

Alan Shearer added: ‘If someone asks him the question about Arsene Wenger the only thing he can say is be positive which you should be anyway. 

Henry (above) questioned who would be in charge at Arsenal if the Frenchman returns 

‘But when someone says, “Will there be a role?”, can you imagine the headlines if Arteta says: ‘Absolutely no chance, I don’t want him anywhere near the club!’

 French boss Wenger has not returned to the club after his exit as manager in 2018 following 22 years in charge of the club, but he has been linked to a behind-the-scenes role at the Emirates Stadium for some time. 

Current Arsenal manager Arteta, who Wenger made captain of the club in 2014, revealed he spoke to the 71-year-old at a screening of the new film about the Frenchman’s life in November.

Recalling that conversation with Wenger, Arteta told a press conference: ‘Hopefully we can bring him close because I think he would have a great time just seeing the environment that he can create around him when he’s around this place, because of the respect, admiration and love that everybody at the club has for what he’s done and for what he represents as a person in this club.’ 

Arteta (right) revealed he spoke to Wenger at the screening of his new film earlier this month

Asked what type of role Wenger could adopt at the Emirates, Arteta added: ‘I cannot tell you now, but what I can say is that I would like him to be much closer personally to me because I think he will be a great help.

‘I think he will be a great help for the club. Things take time and I think he has to dictate those timings, but what I can say is that from my side and I think it on behalf of everybody, we would be delighted to have him much closer.’

Wenger won three Premier League titles and seven FA Cups during his 22 years at Arsenal and is the longest-serving and most successful manager in their entire history.

But the Frenchman’s final few years in north London were plagued by fan protests calling for him to quit, even though the club have not played in the Champions League since his departure in 2018.