Arsenal striker Robin van Persie scoops Barclays Golden Boot prize for 20-goal landmark.
Van Persie on fire, Henry to leave
Posted: 2012-02-10 08:50
Robin van Persie has scooped the Barclays Golden Boot for scoring 20 League goals – good news for Arsenal as Thierry Henry is to return to MLS on February 17.
The Dutch goal machine received his award for reaching the impressive landmark before any other player in the league, after an incredible first half to the season.
Van Persie has been the figurehead of Arsenal's campaign so far with a number of talismanic displays which also led him to become the first Premier League player to reach 10 goals this term.
The award is also handed to players that reach the 30-goal landmark and Van Persie will be aiming to be the first Premier League star to reach that milestone since Cristiano Ronaldo, who achieved that feat for Manchester United in the 2007-08 season.
The 28-year-old has scored 22 goals in 24 appearances and will be eyeing up the Golden Boot record that currently is held jointly by Alan Shearer and Andy Cole with a haul of 34.
Van Persie has already surpassed last season's Golden Boot winner, Dimitar Berbatov, who scored 20, and has given himself plenty of breathing space between Demba Ba of Newcastle United, who is behind the Dutchman on 16 goals.
Meanwhile Hans Backe, the manager of Thierry Henry's parent club New York Red Bulls, has confirmed that the striker will return to the MLS side on February 17, meaning he will miss the north London Derby against Tottenham.
Henry will not extend his loan at Arsenal, and will be heading back to the US next week, according to Backe.
There was hope that the Frenchman would stay beyond February 17 after he was included in the Gunners' Champions League squad, but Backe has quashed the rumours.
"When I spoke to him, he told me that he was 100 percent coming back on February 17," he told reporters.
Many expected Henry to stay for a further three weeks to see him play in the north London Derby against Tottenham.
But his manager insists that he will be back in New York ready for the start of the MLS season, adding: "What I know, it's only rumours. I haven't heard anything from them [Arsenal] about extending the loan."
During his brief stint back at Arsenal, the club's all-time leading goalscorer made a dream return by netting the winner in his side's FA Cup third-round victory against Leeds United, before scoring the second goal of his loan spell in the 7-1 demolition of Blackburn Rovers at the weekend.
: 2012-02-10 19:51
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