Thierry Henry has admitted that he would love to manage Arsenal in the future because he continues to have a special relationship with the club's supporters.
Henry has held two senior managerial posts in his coaching career to date: an ill-fated time at Monaco and a more successful tenure with the Montreal Impact in Major League Soccer.
However, his time in MLS came to an end in February when he announced that he would not return to coach the team for a second season due to the personal strains on his family life caused by coronavirus.
The United States-Canada border is shut due to the pandemic and Henry would be required to live in the US, meaning that he would be forced to go months without seeing his children.
Where the legendary Arsenal striker goes from here remains to be seen, but he was recently linked with the vacant Bournemouth manager's role before Jonathan Woodgate was handed the job until the end of the season.
Henry says that a return to north London will always be something that he dreams of.
"Listen, if you ask an Arsenal fan if they’d like to coach Arsenal one day, they’ll say yes," Henry told FourFourTwo. "If you ask an Arsenal fan if they’d like to score a goal for Arsenal, they’ll say yes.
"When I speak about it, it’s a utopia. People get carried away whenever I say that it’s my club, but I have it in my blood – I’m an Arsenal fan.
"So if you’re asking me if one day I’d like to coach Arsenal, then yes. If you ask if one day I’d like to be Arsenal’s kit man, then yes. If you ask if one day I’d like to cut the grass at the Emirates Stadium, then yes.
"But it’s a utopia, and I am far from that. If you ask me am I dreaming, yes I’m dreaming. But when you’re not dreaming, you’re awake and there is a reality. Would I love to coach Arsenal? Yes. Would I love to go to Barcelona? Yes. Would I like to play for Arsenal again? I’d love to play for them again, but the reality is I can’t!"
On his connection with the club, Henry added: "Arsenal is part of me and always will be – half of my heart belongs to Arsenal, and the other half to my family. The understanding I have with Arsenal fans is something I cannot describe – it’s something I’m always going to miss.
"If I could relive one night, it would be when I came back on loan and scored the winning goal against Leeds.
"It was the third round of the FA Cup, Leeds were in the Championship at the time and it wasn’t the best goal ever, but I reconnected with the fans for one night... one more night. That was priceless."
The full 10-page interview with Thierry Henry is in this month’s FourFourTwo on sale on Wednesday, March 10. Also in this issue, Javier Mascherano answers questions from readers, former Newcastle striker Michael Chopra opens up about gambling away £2million and a look at how Rangers roared back to success after 10 years.
