Henry who faces six weeks out with a groin injury, had been linked with a move to the Catalan club at a time when Arsenal are planning to discuss a contract extension with him.

"We want Thierry to be here," Wenger told reporters on Friday at the Club's training ground.

"We are very ambitious, we want to win the European Cup, like Barcelona and Juventus do.

"Our desire and motivation to keep Thierry here is 100 per cent strong.

"I think he wants to stay but that's me saying that and I'm not pretentious enough to come out (and speak) for Thierry Henry.

"I want him to stay and want him to be the leader of the club in the next few years but in the end Thierry has the key."

As for a report that Barca were closing in on Henry, Wenger said "Thierry has been committed here for six years.... for me that (the report) is not information, that is fantasy."

However, Wenger believes FIFA regulations on players mean he cannot guarantee that Henry, under contract until 2007, will not move at the end of the season.

"I cannot say that for certain for one simple reason, because under the new FIFA rules a player can move without the permission of any club," he said.

Henry, who joined Arsenal in 1999 after a difficult spell at Juventus, was converted by Wenger from a winger to one of the world's leading strikers, topping the Premier League scoring charts in three of the last four seasons.

"If Thierry is who he is today it is because we have shown faith in him and believe in him," said Wenger.

The Frenchman also played down comments on Friday from his former captain Patrick Vieira, now at Juventus, who said the key to keeping players like Henry was bringing in new players.

Wenger appeared to rule out a splash when the transfer market window opens in January, saying: "I feel we have a squad with big potential. I'm convinced I'm right to believe in this team and this squad and that they will prove me right."

The Frenchman has equal confidence in his team's chances of challenging Chelsea for the league title, despite the holders' sparkling start to the season with six consecutive wins.

"We're growing from game to game," he said.

"We lost two games, but only just, and I am convinced that we have the quality to win the championship.

"I'm convinced there is enough quality to come back at Chelsea.

"They were a bit lucky at the start (of the season) because they won at Wigan in the last minute and they won against us with a mis-controlled ball."

But the Frenchman added: "Their difficulties will come later. Football is not as predictable as it looks at the moment for Chelsea, Arsenal or anybody else. When you're on a roll.... it just goes on. Even if you don't play well you win.

"But it is not as straightforward as it looks. Suddenly you lose a game you don't deserve to lose at all and you wonder how it happened.