French superstar Thierry Henry will be staying with his Arsenal after signing a four-year extension-contract, putting an end to all the rumors that suggested that he was on the verge of a deal with Spanish champions Barcelona. "It's not a surprise anymore, but I'm staying here to play, obviously even more longer for the club I love," Henry was quoted as saying by British tabloid The News of the World on Friday. Henry, who joined the Gunners in 1999 from Juventus for eight million pounds, became the most influential player for his side over the past seven years, being Arsenal's top-scorer with a tally of 214 goals, and led them to two Premier League titles and two FA Cup trophies. The former World Cup winner, who was on the last year of his contract, was heavily linked with a move to Barcelona, and it was believed that Arsenal's clash with them last Wednesday in the UEFA Champions League final would be Henry's last game before sealing the move to the Nou Camp. "Obviously all you guys had so much speculation and thought maybe I was going to leave, I won't lie, it did cross my mind at one point, but I think with my heart and my heart wants to stay," Henry said. "I never played in Spain and never will, this is my last contract," he added. Arsenal's loss to Barcelona in the Champions League final had a major effect on Henry's decision to stay, as he became more determined to make it up for the team next season, however he admitted that Arsenal's fans were a major driving force behind his decision. "In the past year the fans have been more than amazing, and after the way we lost on Wednesday, I couldn't let them down, it was a positive thing to make and say," Henry insisted.
