Arsenal have announced plans to play New York Red Bulls in a pre-season friendly on Saturday July 26.
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caption:Thierry Henry has enjoyed successful spells with Arsenal and New York Red Bulls.
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The game, which will take place in New Jersey, will see Arsenal legend Thierry Henry come up against the side with which he scored a club-record 226 goals in all competitions.
It will also be the first time the Gunners have travelled to the United States since an exhibition match against Argentine side Independiente in 1989.
Since moving to the MLS from Barcelona in 2010, Henry has scored 42 goals in 94 games and been named in the MLS All-Star team on three consecutive occasions. Former Everton midfielder Tim Cahill and Bradley Wright-Phillips, son of another Arsenal legend Ian Wright are among Henry’s teammates.
Henry said on the Red Bulls' official website: “It goes without saying that hosting Arsenal at Red Bull Arena will be a special moment for me both on a professional and personal level.
“As I have said before, the club is in my heart and this will be another terrific chapter in my relationship with Arsenal Football Club. Along with my teammates, I am excited to host Arsenal in New York -- one of the greatest cities in the world -- and hope that Red Bulls and Arsenal fans will be able to enjoy the match."
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger added: “This will be a great chance to play in front of supporters who have not seen the team play before. The New York Red Bulls will be midway through their season, so they will provide a good test.
“Obviously it will be good to play against Thierry. He is a very special player in our club’s history and I know the players and the supporters will enjoy this very much.”
It will be the second encounter between the two sides in recent years following a 1-1 draw at the 2011 Emirates Cup, and also represents Arsenal’s only match outside Europe this summer.