Thierry Henry admits he hasn't ruled out the possibility of another return to Arsenal after scoring a dream winner in the final seconds at Sunderland.
Henry has been on loan with the Gunners from New York Red Bulls since January but he will head back to America after Arsenal's Champions League second round first leg trip to AC Milan on Wednesday.
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger was keen to take Henry on loan this season as he lost strikers Gervinho and Marouane Chamakh to African Nations Cup duty.
The 34-year-old, who became an Arsenal legend during his first spell with the club, has mostly been used as a substitute this time, but he has still made an impressive impact and the French star hinted he could be back again if Wenger needs him.
Asked if there might be a possibility of another return next season, he replied: "You can never say never, right?
"You need to ask the boss. I don't know. I have always said it, it's kind of difficult for me to say no. If they need some help one day, I will be around."
Henry could yet sign off with a match-winning display against Milan, but if Saturday's strike goal at the Stadium of Light proves his final goal for Arsenal it was the perfect way to sign off.
Arsenal has become Henry's great love following his remarkably successful eight-year stay in north London and he admitted he felt like a child again when he scored the winner.
"Just like a kid who came on and scored his first goal for the team he loves, that's exactly how I felt, really like a kid," Henry told BBC Sport.
"When it comes to Arsenal, I always feel something special. At the end of the day, I was there at the end of the move, but I just want to help.
"That's all I wanted to do. I said it right from the start - I didn't want to be a hero or whatever, just like one of the guys in the dressing room."
Henry struck in the first minute of stoppage time, turning fellow substitute Andrey Arshavin's cross past keeper Simon Mignolet from close range to complete a dramatic Arsenal fightback.
However, the striker played down his role and he added: "When you come on as a sub, you want to help your team and change the game anyway, anyhow, and it did happen.
"A lot of the time, the guy who puts the ball in the back of the net will always get the credit, but the cross from Andrey Arshavin was perfect.
"You can always miss, but it was going to be very difficult to miss that one, so you have to give him a lot of credit for that one.
"I was just there at the right time and I finished it, so that's the most important thing.
"Obviously, I stayed a bit longer with the Arsenal fans at the end because I knew it was the last game for me in the Premier League, so I just wanted to say, 'Thanks, that's it'."
Source: AFP
