Thierry Henry's Honest Take on Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang Future Amid Arsenal Exit Talk

CD Olimpia v Montreal Impact: Quarterfinals - Leg 1 - 2020 CONCACAF Champions League
CD Olimpia v Montreal Impact: Quarterfinals - Leg 1 - 2020 CONCACAF Champions League / Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images
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Arsenal legend Thierry Henry has admitted he is not in a position to advise current star Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to remain at the Gunners, given his own decision to leave London for Barcelona.

Henry spent eight years at Arsenal, becoming the clubs all time top goalscorer during a golden period in north London in which he won two Premier League titles, two FA Cups and four Golden Boots.

However, Frenchman left the Emirates for Barcelona in 2007 in a €24m move, later winning the treble in Pep Guardiola's side alongside the likes of Lionel Messi, Xavi and Samuel Eto'o.

Thierry Henry knows better than anyone about leaving and loving Arsenal
Thierry Henry knows better than anyone about leaving and loving Arsenal / Clive Mason/Getty Images

While Henry did return to Arsenal for a seven-game swansong in 2011/12, after a spell at New York Red Bulls, the club legend claims he cannot advise current Gunners frontman Aubameyang on what to do next, because of his own history.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Henry talked about the current state of Arsenal's attack and his desire to see Aubameyang stay.

Although, he added that the Gabon international must be allowed to make his own decision.

Henry said: "Everybody will do whatever they have to do. How am I going to say to someone to stay when I left?

Where will the goals come from if he leaves?
Where will the goals come from if he leaves? / Harriet Lander/Copa/Getty Images

"Things happen, that doesn't kill the love that you have for a place. As an Arsenal fan you want him to stay, but as a football player he will assess the situation with his family, with his Dad that I know, also, and see what's the best for them."

Aubameyang will enter the final year of his contract in the coming months and there appears to be little interest from the player to extend his deal.

And with interest from the likes of Inter and Man Utd among others, it is a worrying time up front for manager Mikel Arteta as Arsenal are forced to decide to sell now or wait until the player can leave for free.

Henry continued: "If you're an Arsenal man you don't want him to leave, but also the guy has a career and I don't know what's in his head.

"All I know is we're definitely going to miss his goals if he does leave. As I said when I was at Sky, it was almost a thing but he does score goals and if you take the goals of Aubameyang away it's a tough one.

"I respect the decisions of people, I respect what people have to go through and what dream they have. As an Arsenal man, any Arsenal fan would be crazy to say he should leave.

"On the other side, you have to understand the guy has a life and maybe he needs to see something else, who knows?"