It would certainly have sped up the process of the pendulum of success swinging from Arsenal to Chelsea had Roman Abramovich been successful in his pursuit of their talismanic Thierry Henry midway through the Invincible season of 03/04. With the Frenchman on his way to 30 league goals for the season, the Russian billionaire presented the Arsenal board with a formal offer in the region of £45 million in December 2003, which was swiftly rebuffed.
''We know that Chelsea want him because last week Roman Abramovich himself came to Highbury to present a formal offer for him. But we said the same thing we will say to Real Madrid if they present an offer, or to any other club for that matter, and that is that Henry is not for sale. Henry is irreplaceable in every sense. - Former Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein, December 2003.
Henry would go on to finish the best season of his career, notching 39 goals in 51 appearances, as the Invincibles scooped the league title. They would go on to lift the FA Cup the following season - the last piece of silverware the Frenchman would win in England, and indeed the club for another eight seasons. Is there a small part of Henry that rues missing out on the potential trophies on offer at Stamford Bridge, as they entered an era of dominance? The answer to that question can be found in the Frenchmans passionate, chest-slapping celebration upon a winning goal against Leeds United in 2012 during a loan return to the Emirates Stadium. While he may have left for Barcelona in 2007 to pursue a dream of lifting the Champions League, he would never have forsaken his Arsenal ties by treacherously signing for another English side.
Recent Journalism & New Media graduate. Insatiable thirst for all things football, and hopes to break into the field of sports journalism in the near future.
Have made a significantly insignificant playing career out of receiving several slaps around the head for not passing the ball.
