Thierry Henry has been hired by Montreal Impact as their head coach, signing a two-year deal with an option for a third.

Thierry Henry Arsenal U19s Vs Olympiacos cropped
Photo by joshjdss / CC BY 2.0

Montreal Impact announced the appointment of the former Arsenal striker as their head coach on Thursday, with the club confirming he’s signed on for the 2020 and 2021 seasons, with an option for 2022.

For those who aren’t aware, the MLS works on a calendar year format, so Henry will be ready for the start of the new season. He’ll be presented to the media on Monday and take up his new role in mid-January when the club’s training camp begins.

“It’s an honour to coach the Montreal Impact and return to MLS,” the former Gunner said.

“It’s a league I know well, in which I had some very nice moments. To be in Quebec, in Montreal, which has an enormous multicultural heritage, it’s extraordinary. I’ve always kept an eye on the club and now I’m here.”

Henry spent time in the MLS as a player, playing for the New York Red Bulls for around four-and-a-half seasons, though he did spend a few weeks of that time back on loan at Arsenal.

In terms of managerial career, Henry started out with the Arsenal youth teams, before working as an assistant coach for the Belgium national team. His only previous appointment as the head coach of a senior side was with AS Monaco, though he only managed a 20% win rate across 20 games before being sacked.