Thiago: Messi should claim top prize

Barcelona midfielder Thiago Alcantara believe his team-mate Lionel Messi should win the FIFA Ballon d'Or.

Argentina international Messi is up against Barca team-mate Xavi Hernandez and Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo for the annual FIFA award, and the 20-year-old feels the South American deserves the title.

"Leo Messi deserves the Ballon d'Or ahead of Xavi and Cristiano Ronaldo. It's a pleasure playing alongside him," the Spain international told Marca.

Thiago has made big strides under Barca coach Pep Guardiola, and is eager to progress further as a player during the next 12 months.

"In 2012 I want to continue working, learning from my peers, and continue the work of recent years," he said.

Barcelona have been drawn against Osasuna in the Copa del Rey last 16, with the first leg to take place on Wednesday, and Thiago feels his side are in the right physical condition to get a victory.

"We are alright, have no problems, and we are perfectly in order to play against Osasuna," he said.

United to keep Berbatov, says Ferguson

Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed Manchester United forward Dimitar Berbatov will have his contract at the club extended.

Berbatov’s current deal expires at the end of the season and the Bulgarian had looked set to leave at the end of the season following a year spent mostly on the sidelines.

But Berbatov’s recent good form, including a hat-trick against Wigan, may have convinced his manager that he still has plenty to offer.

Ferguson told reporters: “We’ll be exercising it (the option to renew Berbatov’s contract). I think it kicks in in March.”

The manager also moved quickly to dismiss reports that Chris Smalling is suffering from glandular fever and could miss several months due to illness.

“I have seen the reports,” Sir Alex said. “They are well wide of the mark. He has tonsillitis.”

“He had glandular fever as a kid but that’s not the case here. He should be ready for the Newcastle game, at least definitely the Manchester City game in the FA Cup. He’ll be ready for those games.”

“We don’t have much changes. Obviously injuries to the defenders are quite a concern now, with Jonny Evans taken off at half-time (against Wigan).

“We’re hoping Phil Jones will be fit, there’s possibly an outside chance that Rio Ferdinand will get on the bench. Other than that, we’re the same.”

“Hopefully we can keep the momentum going. The form is good and the players are enjoying themselves too.”

United have suffered a defensive crisis recently with Michael Carrick and Patrice Evra paired at the back against Wigan on Boxing Day.

Wenger wants Henry to help out

The Arsenal manager confirmed Henry will sign on a two-month loan for the Gunners, dependent on insurance agreements being worked out with New York Red Bulls.

Wenger revealed it was his idea to bring back the 34-year-old, who scored 226 times in 370 appearances for the club before moving to Barcelona in June 2007.

Wenger said: “You can never take away from people what they have done, that will remain forever. Nobody expects him to be what he was 10 years ago, we just want him to help out.

“I think it is just credit to him to be wanting to be helpful to a club that has given him so much. Therefore I feel there is no special pressure to be the player he was before.

“You cannot put too much pressure on him. He is here to help out, not to suddenly be the leader, the main player in the squad, and I respect his desire to help us get through a period where we lose two strikers.

“He and I are conscious that he is 34 years old, but he has not lost his class or his brain. That will be just enough for us.”

Wenger wants Henry, who is available until the MLS season restarts in March, to fill the supporting striker void which will be left when Marouane Chamakh and Gervinho leave for the African Nations Cup next month, although Arsenal are trying to delay their departure by two days to leave them available for the FA Cup tie against Leeds on January 9.

The Gunners boss insists Henry needs two weeks to be fully match fit but in theory he could be available for seven Premier League matches, including key encounters against Manchester United and Tottenham as well as FA Cup ties and Arsenal’s Champions League last-16 encounter against AC Milan.

On the prospect of Henry partnering the Premier League’s leading scorer Van Persie, Wenger said: “When they play together, we will do very well. They are two good players who can give the ball and score, so why should they not do well together?

“Robin van Persie is our main striker and it will remain like that.

“He (Henry) still has his pace, because he always had exceptional pace. What you lose with age is the capacity to repeat it.

“He still has class and quality. I don’t worry about him at all. He is there to help, nothing else.

“When we need him he will come on and play. He wants to help out for two months, because this is a club he loves.

“He has exceptional talent, he is a very intelligent man and has a desire to help the club, so it can only be positive.”

Wenger pointed to the success of former players Sol Campbell and Jens Lehmann, who also returned to the club in supporting roles.

“Our fans are happy that players who have done well for the club want to help out again,” Wenger said. “That is very positive. It shows that Arsenal have a special link with the players because we had Sol Campbell and Jens Lehmann who helped out for a while and did very well. Now we have Thierry, it is a continuity of the special link with our former players.”

Wenger, despite insisting the Henry deal was “certain to happen” did sound one note of caution.

He said: “The agreement and the insurance (still needs to be done), I don’t take care of that, but that is not completed and we need to respect all the agreements we need with the MLS to finalise the deal.”

He did, however, reveal he would not be signing any strikers on a permanent basis in the January transfer window “unless we lose players”.

Meanwhile, Theo Walcott has recovered from illness and is set to return against QPR on Saturday, and Wenger believes the Henry news will give the whole squad a boost.

He said: “The players are all happy that Thierry is coming back. You can always learn in life from people who have the knowledge like he has. That was one of the reasons why we brought Jens Lehmann and Sol Campbell back. They have a weight in the dressing room.”

The news on England midfielder Jack Wilshere’s ankle injury is also positive with a February return date a possibility.

Fulham star looking for win at Norwich

Fulham star Bryan Ruiz is targeting a win against Norwich to round off the year and believes the draw against Chelsea will give the Whites motivation to go on to produce the right result.

The Whites have had an up and down season, picking up points at Arsenal and Chelsea, but have lost to Swansea and Everton as well this campagin.

And the former FC Twente man is hoping to see his side climb into the top half with a victory over the Canaries.

“It was a great result on Monday against Chelsea and we played well which was good for us after the match against Manchester United last week,” Ruiz told the club’s official website.

“Chelsea are a very good team and they were playing at home on Boxing Day. They needed the points as well so it was a great result for us. We defended well and attacked when we could.

“We kept the ball more in midfield on Monday and created more chances. It was a good performance away from home and that’s how we hope to continue.

“We’re expecting a tough game against Norwich on Saturday and they are very close to us in the League – if we win we can pass them but it’s going to be tough. My wish for the New Year is to end this one with a win against Norwich!”

Thierry Henry close to Arsenal return in loan deal

Thierry Henry will sign a two-month loan deal with Arsenal if insurance agreements can be arranged with his Major League Soccer side New York Red Bulls, according to the London club’s coach, Arsene Wenger.

The 34-year-old Frenchman has been training with the Londoners since the close of the MLS season in November and recently had a statue of him unveiled at the Emirates Stadium to underline his legendary status at the club.

Henry will not be required back in the United States until March and Wenger will lose Gervinho and Marouane Chamakh for up to a month at the end of January due to the Africa Cup of Nations, leaving him short of strikers.

“For two months it certainly will happen. I don’t take care of the agreement and the insurance and that is not completed,” Wenger said.

“At the moment we cannot announce anything because all the paperwork is not done.”

“To cover for two months is ideal. He has the experience and the quality. He knows the club and can help the players on and off the pitch.”

“He has exceptional talent and is a very intelligent man, it can only be positive.”

Henry could feature in seven Premier League games, including key encounters against Manchester United and Tottenham, as well as FA Cup ties and the first leg of Arsenal’s Champions League last-16 clash against AC Milan.

If an agreement is reached with Red Bulls he could start his second Arsenal spell in the FA Cup third-round tie against Leeds on January 9 after impressing Wenger with his sharpness during training.

Henry, meanwhile, has clearly felt at home back in London and was moved to tears when a statue of him was unveiled at the Emirates Stadium this month, along with those of fellow Gunners legends Tony Adams and Herbert Chapman.

Wenger added: “He is very happy and very modest about it. It was my idea and he was happy with the idea.”

Henry, the club’s record all-time scorer with 226 goals in 370 appearances, left Arsenal in 2007 for Barcelona before moving to the United States where he currently plays for the New York Bulls.

He is regarded as one of the greatest players to have ever pulled on an Arsenal shirt, winning two league titles and three FA Cups during his hugely successful eight-year spell at the club.

Thierry Henry is on the verge of returning to Arsenal, with manager Arsene Wenger reported to have offered the club legend a two-month loan deal.

Wenger has been weighing up a move for the Gunners’ record goalscorer, who scored 226 goal in 370 appearances, with speculation rife that the paperwork will be signed before New Year’s Day.

New York Red Bulls star Henry would be available for eight Premier League matches including those against Manchester United and Tottenham, plus the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 first leg clash with AC Milan.

Henry, who has been training with the Gunners to keep his fitness levels up, would provide another attacking option during a busy period when Marouane Chamakh and Gervinho will be on African Cup of Nations duty.

Asked about the possibility of a deal, former Arsenal defender Nigel Winterburn believes Henry’s signing would provide a huge lift to the club.

“I hope everything works out as everyone is expecting,” Winterburn told Sky Sports News.

“It’s terrific news for supporters of Arsenal. Thierry Henry is a winner. If he can make that rub off on players around him it can only be good for them.

“I hope everything fits into place.”

Despite his enthusiasm to see the Frenchman back in Arsenal colours, Winterburn admitted Henry’s arrival would be something of a gamble.

“If it works out well it will be a terrific move by Arsene Wenger, but on the flip-side if it doesn’t work out well people will say ‘why didn’t he go out and get a world-class current striker?’

“Will he play in that central role and maybe Robin van Persie move out to the left? Van Persie is the top man at Arsenal at this time. There are a lot of questions to answer butArsenal would be delighted to have him back for this short time.”

John Terry proud to be one of the few one-club men Read more

Chelsea captain John Terry expects to end his career as a one-club man – but hinted he may go elsewhere to fulfil his managerial ambitions.

The 31-year-old is the most successful captain in the Blues’ history and is fifth in the club’s all-time appearance list.

Terry has been with Chelsea since the age of 14 and, aside from a brief loan stint at Nottingham Forest, has played his entire career with the west Londoners.

“For me, you don’t see (one-club players) in this day and age,” the controversial Terry said.

“You see a couple of the Man United lads and Stevie G (Steven Gerrard) at Liverpool, but other than that you couldn’t count five people on your hand.

“It is a rare breed and I am really proud to have spent my whole career here.

“I have been fortunate enough to start at a very young age and to see different managers come in, big managers, and for me to keep improving.

“One because I have wanted to and secondly because I see this as my club and always will.

“When I finish playing I want to come back to Stamford Bridge and bring my kids to watch games and things like that.

“For me, I am really proud to be at one club and no other club.

“I could never see myself in another shirt anyway.”

While the Barking-born defender does not foresee a move away from Stamford Bridge, he is already looking to the future and a career in management.

Terry has previously revealed his ambition to manage Chelsea but intimated that he may hone his skills elsewhere.

“I have learnt over the years from managers I’ve had and I have worked out [training] sessions from the last seven or eight years,” he said.

“I have got stacks and stacks at home. It is just a case of putting it into my way.

“Dennis [Wise] said about having your own people within and it is so important if you are a manager that you are controlling everything.

“It is all or nothing for me and if I don’t get the chance to take the reins on everything, that would probably make my mind up whether I do take a job if I get the opportunity.”

Henry, Podolski would boost Arsenal: Mertesacker

Thierry Henry, training with his former club Arsenal, would fit right back into the team according to German defender Per Mertesacker who says the club should also consider signing compatriot Lukas Podolski.

There were widespread reports in the British media on Thursday that Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has decided to re-sign Henry, the club’s record goalscorer and former skipper, on a two-month loan deal from New York Red Bulls when the transfer window opens on Sunday.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger poised to offer Thierry Henry two-month loan deal

The prospect of Thierry Henry returning to Arsenal has moved a further step forward, with the club now poised to offer their record goalscorer a contract until the beginning of March.

Henry is back in London following a short holiday in Mexico and is understood to have held talks on Wednesday with Arsène Wenger, who has intimated that he would like his former captain to help ease the burden on Robin van Persie and provide cover for Gervinho during the African Cup of Nations.

No formal agreement has yet been reached and, while Henry is mindful that he does not want to risk tarnishing his legacy, there is growing optimism at Arsenal that a deal can be done.

As of Wednesday night, club sources were stressing that the situation is still under consideration, while the New York Red Bulls, who would have to agree any loan deal, have yet to receive any contact from either Henry or Arsenal.

Henry was at the Emirates to watch Arsenal’s 1-1 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers on Tuesday and is expected to rejoin training with the squad this week.

The Major League Soccer season restarts on March 10, with Henry due back in pre-season training with the Red Bulls on Jan 16.

Wenger wants the situation resolved by the beginning of January, meaning that, in theory, Henry could feature in thePremier League against Fulham next Monday. If any agreement is reached, the more realistic date for his comeback would be in the FA Cup against Leeds on Jan 9.

The prospect of Henry returning has certainly excited the Arsenal squad, with Per Mertesacker on Wednesday outlining just how impressive the 34-year-old has been in training.

“He is playing very, very good,” said Mertesacker. “I am very happy to play against him in training and it is a great experience. He is a great opportunity for us but I’m not the manager. I couldn’t make a decision on what is possible for him or for us.

“In training he shows his class and to have him with us is great because he shows his attitude and his experience. He still has the same attitude he showed in a lot of games at Arsenal.”

Mertesacker has also provided a ringing endorsement of Lukas Podolski, his Germany team-mate and one of Wenger’s main targets in the January transfer window.

Podolski and Mertesacker have both been regulars in the emerging Germany team who reached both the final of Euro 2008 and the semi-final of the 2010 World Cup, with Wenger increasingly looking to the Bundesliga as he seeks value in the transfer market.

Mario Gotze, the Borussia Dortmund winger, is another player who Arsenal are tracking, although Podolski has been identified as someone who can function in Gervinho’s position to the left of a main striker and in the central role that is occupied by VanPersie.

With Van Persie presently unwilling to extend a contract which expires in 2013, Wenger will be acutely aware of the need both to recruit a potential long-term replacement and have cover in his first-team squad to ease some of the immediate burden on his captain.

With 43 goals in his 95 Germany caps, Podolski has an outstanding international record and has been in excellent form so far this season for Cologne, scoring 14 times in 15 Bundesliga games.

Like Van Persie, his contract expires in 2013, with Cologne sporting director Volker Finke having indicated that he will be sold if he does not extend his deal.

Cologne are mid-table in the Bundesliga and unlikely to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

Wenger has publicly played down the prospect of signing Podolski but, according to club sources, he is among the players being actively considered and scouted.

Mertesacker said that he speaks regularly on the phone with Podolski.

“He is a great player,” said Mertesacker of the Poland-born forward. He scores a lot of goals. He’s a good striker with a very good finish. His left foot is unbelievable. He is powerful as well. The Premier League is a little different from the Bundesliga, but you get used to everything.”

Wenger has a transfer fund of around £50 million, although that includes wages and potential new contracts over the next year for Van Persie and Theo Walcott.

At 26, Podolski is entering the prime of his career but his contract situation means that he would be valued at around £18 million and so would fall within Arsenal’s price-range.