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Arsenal Gunners star forward Thierry Henry will leave the team to sign with Barcelona, according to ESPN.com.

Barcelona has agreed to pay $32 million for the player and he has agreed to sign a four-year contract with Barcelona according to Cadena Ser radio and the newspaper El Pais.

Henry became a star in 1998 while playing France, the World Cup champions that year. Henry parlayed his success on the international stage into a contract with one of the elite teams in the English Premier League, the Arsenal Gunners, in 1999.

Since the start of 1999, Henry has netted 226 goals, a club record, in 364 appearances. Henry has also been an important part of the Gunner's two Premier League titles and four Football Association Cups since his arrival in London.

The last two seasons have been disappointing for the Gunners, and this is probably Henry's biggest reason for leaving. The Gunners have turned to younger players in the last two years and have finished fourth in the league both times. Despite their misfortunes, the Gunners made the quarterfinals of the Champions League and the final of the Football Association Cup last season as well as the Champions League final two seasons ago.

Henry has also struggled with injuries, missing much of last season after a strong World Cup performance last summer.

Henry said that he was very disappointed when David Dein quit as vice chairman of Arsenal and this may have been the last straw leading to his departure.

Henry will join a Barcelona squad which is one of the best in the world. They already have Ronaldinho and Eto'o as well as some other world-class talent in Xavi, Puyol, Marquez and Valdes.

Barcelona has had much recent success. They were Spanish La Liga champions in 2005 and 2006 and made it to the final of the FIFA Club World Cup in 2006. Their biggest recent success was winning the Champions League in 2006. They beat Henry's Arsenal squad at the Stade de France, in Paris.

With Henry joining the team and no major departures on the horizon, Barcelona will be the favorites to win La Liga next season as well as next year's Champions League.

Henry's departure will give the Gunners some more money to sign players either through transfer or signing. They will also be able to have all of their young, future stars play together with less pressure. The Gunners will take a step back without Henry, probably duplicating this season's results, but will be back near the top of the table soon.

Rumors have also speculated that Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger could also soon be on the move to Barcelona.

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