ARSENAL MANAGER Arsene Wenger has refused to rule out bringing club legend Thierry Henry back to the Premier League.

The French forward left the Gunners for Barcelona in 2007 after scoring 228 goals in 378 appearances for the north London club, before joining MLS side New York Red Bulls in 2010.

The striker will train with his former club Arsenal in December and Wenger was coy on whether he would be asking the former fan favourite to join for another short-team deal this year.

“He has been practising with us. Three times. Will I sign him again in January? I don’t know — I don’t rule it out. I don’t know if he would be interested,” Wenger told reporters. ”This year we will lose Gervinho to the Africa Cup of Nations again, so we will be short — particularly if Chamakh goes.”

Arsenal started the season badly but have risen to sixth place on the table on 19 points, but are still nine adrift of leaders Manchester City with only five wins from 12 games. And with the prestigious African tournament starting on January 19 and ending on February 10, the forward duo could be gone for as long as a month when travel and training are factored in to the equation.

With Wenger hailing Henry as a player who can give players and fans ‘hope’ at the club he loves, a potential deal could be on the cards for the 35-year-old.

“You know what he gives you. He gives you hope, especially when he comes on. That is the most important thing,” he said. ”He is a communicator. An extrovert. Very intelligent. He can only give good advice to players because he was in their position when he arrived here.”

The forward scored a last-minute winner for Arsenal against Sunderland during his last loan spell in 2012, and could be important once again as the Gunners chase the title and, more realistically, a Champions League spot.

Champions League: Dortmund, Real in control as City on the brink

Roberto di Matteo sacked by Chelsea