Barcelona are preparing to test Thierry Henry's resolve by trying to sign the striker this summer. The club's president, Joan Laporta, has told associates that he believes Barca can be successful in a transfer move for the Arsenal captain.

Henry rebuffed a similar approach from Barcelona after Arsenal's European Cup final defeat by the Catalans last season, signing an extension to 2010 that he stated would be his last playing contract.

But Laporta has been encouraged by the departure from Arsenal of the vice-chairman, David Dein, who was cited as a key influence in Henry's decision.

Dein's exit has not affected Henry's commitment to the club but, if the manager, Arsene Wenger, were to waver following his close friend's dismissal, that position would change.

There are currently no signs that Wenger is close to leaving but much hangs on his discussions with the board over the summer. A £40 million facility is available for transfers and in last summer's contract negotiations key players such as Henry and Cesc Fabregas were assured that some of the game's established world stars would be bought.

The arrivals of Julio Baptista, Tomas Rosicky and William Gallas were not enough to convince players that a genuine assault on the Champions League was feasible this season and, after a slew of injuries, their doubts have been justified.

Laporta is hoping to exploit those misgivings by employing classic Spanish transfer tactics. They have £50 million available to spend on players this summer but would not commit more than half of that on Henry, a player who will be 30 in August.