Guardiola signs new Barcelona contract, Henry leaves for New York

Spanish football champions Barcelona announced on Wednesday that coach Pep Guardiola had signed a new one-year contract, together with assistant Tito Vilanova.

New Barca president Sandro Rosell had offered Guardiola a longer contract, but the coach preferred to sign on for just 12 months.

Guardiola, 39, took over as Barca coach in 2008 and guided the Catalans to the Spanish league and cup double and the Champions League title in his first season.

In his second season in charge he won the Club World Cup and the Spanish league, and reached the semi-finals of the Champions League.

In other Barcelona news, New York Red Bulls announced on Wednesday the signing of veteran striker Thierry Henry, whom Guardiola did not want to keep in the squad.

Henry, 32, joined Barca from Arsenal in 2007 but has not been a great success at the Camp Nou. His departure for the United States had been rumoured for several months.