Henry back to Arsenal, Fowler to Liverpool, Klinsmann, Hughes, McAvennie and more: returning heroes or zeroes?
As rumours persist that Thierry Henry will return to Arsenal on a short-term loan, Gunners fans are divided as to whether the ageing Frenchman's homecoming is a good idea or not.
It can go one of two ways: a player sweeps back into his old stomping ground and makes an even bigger impact than before, or sullies their memory like Sylvester Stallone remaking The Italian Job.
We've picked out some other memorable returning heroes (and zeroes)…
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Jurgen Klinsmann: Tottenham ('94-'95 and '97-'98)
He may have only played 15 league games during his second spell at the Lane, following a memorable season at the club in the mid-'90s, but loan signing Klinsmann's nine goals during the 1997/98 season certainly played their part in maintaining Tottenham's Premier League status. The four he netted in a 6-2 away win at Wimbledon in the penultimate game of the season were of particular use and in the end Spurs survived the dreaded drop by four points.
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Gordan Cowans: Aston Villa ('76-'85, '88-'91 and '93-'94)
Despite being a much-travelled footballer, Cowans is Villa through-and-through. His creativeness in three spells, the first of which brought First Division and European Cup success, supplied the Villa front line with plenty of goals. In his second spell he helped the club to finish as First Division runners-up and by the time he'd completed his final stint he'd played over 500 times in the claret and blue.
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Graeme Le Saux: Chelsea ('87-'93 and '97-'03)
Le Saux signed for Chelsea in 1987 and became a key-player in a middling Blues team, but fell out with then manager Ian Porterfield when he threw his shirt away after being substituted and was sold to Blackburn for £700,000, where he won the League under Kenny Dalglish. Le Saux became the most expensive defender in British football in 1997 when he moved back to Chelsea for £5million. Other than struggling with some niggling injuries, the next six seasons at Stamford Bridge were full of success; Le Saux won the FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Cup Winners Cup.
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Mark Hughes: Manchester United ('80-'86 and '88-'95)
Mark Hughes was scouted in North Wales as a youngster by Manchester United and kicked off his career with the Red Devils in style, scoring on his debut. After breaking into the first team he built up a formidable partnership alongside Frank Stapleton and, in 1986, was sold to Barcelona. The Catalans were at that time managed by Terry Venables and Hughes was signed to play alongside Gary Lineker, but his time at the Nou Camp was not successful and he was eventually loaned out to Bayern Munich. In West Germany he regained his form and was sold back to Manchester United for a club record of £1.8million in 1989. Two player of the year awards followed and Hughes was part of Alex Ferguson's first great United team, winning titles and cups galore, before leaving Old Trafford in 1995.
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Juninho Paulista: Middlesbrough ('95-'97, '99-'00 and '02-'04)
TLF or 'The Little Fella' became a Boro legend after having three stints at the club. His first came in 1995 when Bryan Robson pulled off a major coup, securing his shock transfer for £4.75million when Juninho was regarded as the next big talent from Brazil. TLF scored 14 in 53 games over the next two years, culminating in a dramatic end to the 1996/97 season when Middlesbrough lost both domestic cup finals and were relegated after being docked three points for failing to fulfill a fixture. With Juninho desperate to make Brazil's 1998 World Cup team, he left for Atletico Madrid, costing them £12million. The move was a disaster and after failing to make an impact he was sent on loan back to Middlesbrough, playing in the 1999/00 season and scoring five goals. Loan spells at Brazilian clubs Vasco da Gama and Flamengo followed, before a move back to Boro in 2002 for a fee of £6million. In 2004 the club lifted their first major silverware by winning the League Cup, of which Juninho said it "meant more than winning the World Cup did in 2002".
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Frank McAvennie: West Ham ('85-'87 and '89-'92)
The Scotsman's outstanding form first time around at Upton Park inspired West Ham to their best ever top flight season, finishing third in 1985/86 as he and Tony Cottee terrorised the First Division's defences. He couldn't replicate it second time round, however. After the party-loving striker's 26 goals helped in '85/'86 made him a Chicken Run favourite, his return saw two relegations and a broken leg, after coming off second best to Stoke's Chris Kamara.
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Neil Webb: Nottingham Forest ('85-'89 and '92-'96)
Brian Clough bought him from Pompey and within a few years he'd won the League Cup, scoring in the 1989 3-1 win over Luton, as Forest became a force to be reckoned with in the late '80s and Webb emerged as an England regular. Unfortunately when he returned from a spell at Man United, he was slightly heavier and never reached his previous top form, starting just 26 league games and suffering relegation in 1993.
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Duncan Ferguson: Everton ('94-'98 and '00-'06)
Although injuries affected his initial stay at Goodison, Big Dunc still picked up an FA Cup winners medal in 1995 and scored in the 2-0 Merseyside derby win the year before, instantly endearing himself to the Goodison faithful. He also became captain and helped the club avoid relegation, before being sold to Newcastle. His second stay however, was not as great. Beset by injuries, Big Dunc started just 52 Premier League games during his six-year stay and was instead largely used as a sub.
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Robbie Keane: Tottenham Hotspur ('02-'08 and '09-present)
Keane's first spell at Spurs saw him settle at a club for the first time in his much-travelled career. The Irishman scored over 100 goals, striking up a great partnership with Dimitar Berbatov from 2006 and lifted the 2008 League Cup, before signing for Liverpool. He stayed at Anfield for less than a season, returning to Spurs after an unhappy time on Merseyside. This time, however, Keane was far from first choice at Tottenham and played second fiddle often to Jermain Defoe and Peter Crouch. The form of Rafael Van Der Vaart, who arrived from Real Madrid, sealed the Irish striker's fate, as he was loaned out to West Ham, then sold to MLS side LA Galaxy.
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Robbie Fowler: Liverpool ('93-2001 and '06-'07)
Liverpool supporters welcome returning heroes with open arms and Kop idols don't come much bigger than Robbie Fowler. Having notched an incredible 120 goals in 210 appearances during his first stint, there was a feeling of unfinished business when 'God' returned to a club he'd continued to support having left in less than mutual circumstances when Gerard Houllier sold him to Leeds. Rafa Benitez shocked everyone by bringing Fowler back to Anfield in 2006, at a point when the striker appeared to be well and truly past his best. Despite a respectable return of 12 goals from 20 starts and 19 substitute appearances in 18 months, he was a pale shadow of the brilliant youngster who lit up Anfield in the 1990s. To his credit, one of those goals pushed him above King Kenny in the club's all-time scoring charts and he was given the chance to say goodbye to the club properly on his final appearance at the end of the 2006/07 season, but he missed out on the Champions League final squad just weeks later, summing up his standing at Anfield during that second spell.
How do you think Thierry Henry would fare if he returned to Arsenal? Hit or miss? Let us know by commenting below…