Arsenal striker Thierry Henry has signed a four-year contract with Barcelona, according to reports out of the Catalan capital this evening. The 29-year-old is said to have been bought for approximately €24 million (£16m).

Barcelona were denied their third straight Primera Liga title on the final day of the season last Sunday, losing out to arch-rivals Real Madrid on head-to-head results.

A great deal of soul-searching has gone on since then after a season short on silverware, and the club has moved quickly to strengthen the squad and appease the fans.

Henry was the focal point at Arsenal but Barca have an array of attacking options and he must find a place in a forward line that already includes Cameroon striker Samuel Eto'o, Brazilian Ronaldinho and Argentina winger Lionel Messi.

The Frenchman turned Barca down and signed a four-year contract with Arsenal after the London side lost to Frank Rijkaard's team in the Champions League final last May.

His change of mind will be a blow to Arsenal, with Henry  having been their top scorer in four of the five Premier League seasons from 2001-6, even though he spent much of the last campaign sidelined by injury.

Arsenal had hoped the news could hbe kept under wraps until next week but with the news having been leaked prematurely confirmation of the move may well come this weekend. if not later this evening.

Henry's departure is yet another blow to the Gunners after the manager Arsene Wenger's good friend David Dein stepped down as chairman earlier this year.

Since then, speculation over Wenger's future has been rife with the Frenchman also being linked with a move to Spain, having caught the eye of the Real Madrid suits, who appear ready to show league winning manager Fabio Capello the door.