Arsenal icon Robert Pires wants Thierry Henry to return to the club to work under new head coach Unai Emery. Pires spoke to the Islington Gazette’s Gunners reporter Layth Yousif at a launch event for the Arsenal Legends v Real Madrid Legends in aid of the club’s charitable foundation. Read on for more.

Arsenal legend Robert Pires believes former team-mate Thierry Henry is equipped to become a manager.

The Gunners record goalscorer with 228 goals has left his role as a Sky Sports pundit explaining that he was determined to fulfil his long-term ambition to become a football boss.

The 40-year-old Henry was Belgium’s No2 during the World Cup as the Red Devils reached the semi-finals but is now hungry to prove himself as a No1. Pires, speaking at a launch event for the Arsenal Legends against Real Madrid Legends at the Emirates hailed his French pal.

When asked if Henry would make a good manager Pires replied: “Of course.

“I hope and I wish for Thierry. I’m very happy he left Sky.

“I sent him a message yesterday saying ‘finally, you left’. Not because he’s not a good pundit but I know Thierry.

“He’s ready. Now he can focus on the new job, on being a manager. I hope he will find the right club. I don’t know if a chairman will give Thierry the opportunity but he will be a good manager.”

Henry helped guide Belgium to two wins over England as Martinez’s men ended the tournament on a high after beating Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions 2-0 in the third/fourth place play-off.

Pires was full of regard for Henry’s acheivements at international level but insisted Henry’s natural home was in the UK.

Pires added: “During the World Cup he was assistant to Roberto Martinez and did very well. If you ask all the Belgian players all of them, especially Lukaku, they say they learned from Thierry every day [but] he loves the Premier League, for the spirit, the competition, the big big clubs.”

Pires also believed that the Arsenal icon – who won two Premier League titles, two FA Cups, two La Liga titles, the Champions League with Barcelona, and the 1998 World Cup and 2000 European Championship with France – should return to Arsenal.

The former French winger said that Henry would benefit from returning to North London to learn from new head coach Unai Emery, comparing a possible move to Steven Gerrard working on the coaching staff at Liverpool before being appointed as Rangers manager.

When asked if Henry should go to Arsenal to learn under Emery similar to the path Gerrard took at Liverpool Pires agreed.

He said: “Steven Gerrard and Thierry [coming into management] is good news for football. We need some new faces on the bench.

“I don’t know if they’ll make a success but these guys they have their badges, it’s very important they’re given an opportunity.

“Afterwards I don’t know what will happen but a new face like Gerrard, Thierry,

“Freddie Ljungberg [manager of the Arsenal U23s] is good. It’s very important to prepare the present and the future.”

Arsenal Legends v Real Madrid Legends, Emirates Stadium, Saturday, September 8, kick-off 2pm.

To buy tickets visit arsenal.com.