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If Henry leaves Barcelona, could MLS be next?

Thierry Henry 1 (AP) 

Thierry Henry is enjoying a significantly better second season with FC Barcelona than first season, but that doesn't look like it will be enough to keep him around for a third.

There are rampant reports that the French striker will be sold by Barcelona this summerto make room for the acquisition of either Franck Ribery or Yoan Gourcuff, with Henry being linked to a possible return to England.

Manchester City has already been mentioned as a destination, but Henry has stated in the past that he would never play for another team in the EPL other than Arsenal. If he stands by that, and Arsenal isn't an option, then where might he go?

He just might wind up in MLS. Why MLS? Henry has stated repeatedly that he would like to play in the United States and this summer he could find two teams that have the resources to bring him in.

The Los Angeles Galaxy stands poised to lose both David Beckham and Landon Donovan. If both players are sold, the Galaxy would be left with an eight-figure pile of transfer revenue it could use to lure Henry to Los Angeles.

Another very strong possibility is Henry joining the New York Red Bulls. Why New York? Aside from being Henry's favorite city in America, the Red Bulls have a Designated Player slot available and the cash to make the deal happen. They also have a stadium opening in 2010 that could use the type of boost that Henry can provide.

Henry had been mentioned as a possible option for a Barcelona Miami MLS expansion team, but given Henry's experience in Barcelona, that should be considered a remote option at best.

What do you think? Where would you like to see Henry wind up if he leaves FC Barcelona?

Which option did you pick, and why? Share your thoughts on Henry's future in the comments section below.

Comments

  1. Red Bull make the most sense, being that they have the 2nd DP spot and could be looking for a marketable player to help promote the opening of Red Bull Park.

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  2. NYRB fans: I know you guys are getting really excited over this possibility. However, why do you need him? With Angel and Richards back, and Van den Bergh gone, your team should be focusing on getting a new playmaker. Angel can’t do anything unless he gets perfect service, which he got from Van den Bergh. The same applies with Henry. It just doesn’t make sense, even though yes, the money and DP Slot are both there.

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  3. I find it very unlikely that Gourcuff is anywhere but Bordeaux, next year. Milan negotiated a VERY low sell-on fee (15 million euros) with Bordeaux that they will almost certainly meet. And again, why would a legitimate international class player want to come to a 4th rate league like MLS when top level European options are available?

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  4. Ives, he wouldn’t tear up MLS, because he’d have nobody to help him tear up anything. He needs players around him that are on the same page cosmically as he is. I really don’t think it’s there.

    You saw how frustrated Angel was in his first few months here, I don’t think Henry would last. I think he would want out before the fantasy even got a chance to begin.

    I hate to put so much stock in the guy, but you see him when plays don’t get put together the way he wants. He got frustrated at Arsenal, and he shows the same frustration at Barça too.

    Not yet, no way.

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  5. Doesn’t he already own an apartment in Miami? I don’t think a bad experience in Barca precludes him from playing for Miami. Lots of the European players already vacation there, so he may have to jump to be at the front of the line for the semi-retired players wanting to earn a check there.

    Plus, I hear the earlybird dinners are quite a bargain.

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  6. I voted NY since Philly wasn’t on the list. Even though I’d love to see him in Philly for selfish reasons, having him in NY means I can get to see him play just as easily.

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  7. I’d love to see Henry in NY, he’s a class act and with RBA opening the MLS could make tons of money, he’s already very marketable here with all those Gillete commercials!

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  8. Henry would really prefer getting passes from some (clown) over Xavi, Iniesta and Messi.

    But. If he really wants to leave (something Abidal said isn’t the case) maybe MLS could be one option. Right now, pretty much every club in Europe would welcome him to their roster, but his years are limited on the absolute top level. So he might want to fool around in ze America and not return to Monaco or join some graveyard like Newcastle or Tottenham. Quit on top in Europe and people wouldn’t see him decline. If he then dominated MLS, everybody would be happy. If he flopped, you could draw comparisons to Beckham and maybe blame the supporting cast.

    Only problem is money. He is still quite valuable and under contract for some years and I’m not sure if MLS teams can afford him. Buy the way, as MLS sells all the players instead of the clubs, does it also buy them?

    Reply

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