Thierry Henry is still on my mind, reveals Arsenal boss Wenger

Henry has struggled for fitness and form at Barcelona, finding himself on the bench or being asked to play on the left wing.

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It has sparked a flurry of speculation that he would leave the Nou Camp, alerting a number of ambitious clubs, but Wenger's confession came as a surprise after a season when several of his young players shone in the absence of Henry.

The Arsenal manager said: "In our situation you can never say never. He only left last year and Thierry is disappointed because things haven't gone as well as he would have liked."

Henry declares his enduring love for the Gunners in a BBC Football Focus interview to be screened today. The France striker says: "There's only one team in England for me. Everybody knows the love and affection I have for Arsenal. I was so into it, I became a fan."

Barcelona paid £16million for Henry and gave him a four-year contract last summer. Arsenal did not request a clause offering them the first option to buy him back but Wenger has stayed in contact.

"I had a chat with him not long ago," said Wenger. "He watches every Arsenal game and I watch Barcelona when I can because I'm interested to see how he looks, whether he has found his sharpness and what position he is playing. I gave him my view about his game.

"Thierry is an efficient goalscorer but they have two or three players in there. His success has been damaged a little because Ronaldinho has not turned up this year and Thierry was the one who could play left wing. That's where he has played but that's not his preferred position or where he is most efficient.

"The whole team didn't work at Barcelona. They have never been in the race for the championship. Then every player gets a little bit devalued. But he still has a lot to offer as a player. Things change quickly when you have talent and he has plenty. My interpretation is that he is happy in Barcelona and will prove he is one of their better players."

Wenger is furious with Inter Milan boss Roberto Mancini for openly courting Alexander Hleb, who has two years left on his contract at the Emirates.

"It is disrespectful and we will not accept this between big clubs," Wenger said yesterday. "If I want a player from Inter Milan, I call Inter Milan. I haven't had a call from anybody. The way they proceed is absolutely unacceptable. They can call us or we shall report them to FIFA.

"Some Italians use the agent to destabilise the player. It doesn't destabilise me at all. I make the decisions. If a club want to buy a player who is under contract they call me. They will get an answer — sometimes the answer they expect, sometimes the answer they don't.

"I said last week I want to keep the team together. I do not change my mind every week. Apart from Mathieu Flamini, all our players are under contract."

Hleb will miss the final three games of the season through suspension. The campaign is also over for the injured Bacary Sagna, Tomas Rosicky and Abou Diaby but Wenger is tempted to offer a rare start to goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski at Derby on Monday.

Wenger said: "He is class. He reads the game well. He is technically good and has a good connection with the team."

William Gallas has hit back at critics who blamed his lack of leadership and on-field tantrum at Birmingham for Arsenal's late-season demise. Gallas said: "It makes me mad because I don't think it was my problem. How can you summarise our season with that thing at Birmingham? That's not why we stopped winning matches."