“I’m still in shock they loaned out such a gifted player while holding onto Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz… It might go down as one of football’s biggest blunders!” — Arsenal icon Thierry Henry, clearly impressed by an on-loan Arsenal star, urges the club to bring him back straight away. “He needs to be recalled at once

Arsenal legend Thierry Henry has delivered a stinging assessment of his former club’s transfer decisions, publicly questioning the logic behind loaning out one of their most talented young players while retaining underperforming forwards like Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz.

Speaking in a press conference, the former Gunners captain didn’t hold back as he reacted to the player’s recent performances away from the Emirates.

“I’m still in shock they loaned out such a gifted player while holding onto Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz,” Henry said, clearly referring to the unnamed on-loan star. “It might go down as one of football’s biggest blunders!”

Henry, known for his honest and passionate takes on Arsenal matters, went further — urging the club to bring the player back immediately.

“He needs to be recalled at once,” he insisted. “You can’t have a talent like that thriving elsewhere while we struggle in the final third. It’s decisions like this that cost you titles.”

While Henry didn’t explicitly name the player during the presser, it’s widely believed he was referring to Folarin Balogun, the young striker who has been making waves during his loan spell with impressive performances and a growing reputation in European football. Arsenal’s attack, meanwhile, has faced criticism in recent months for inconsistency, with both Jesus and Havertz failing to provide a reliable goal-scoring outlet.

The comments from one of the club’s all-time greats are likely to increase pressure on Arsenal’s hierarchy and Mikel Arteta to rethink their plans for next season. With the Gunners aiming to remain competitive in both domestic and European competitions, Henry’s words might force some difficult conversations behind the scenes.

Whether the club will act on Henry’s plea remains to be seen — but one thing is certain: Arsenal fans have found an influential ally in their hope of seeing the young star back in North London sooner rather than later.