Tony Adams says he once walked out of Arsenal training because of £11m player

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Mikel Arteta has developed a tight-knit group amongst his current crop of Arsenal players.

Team spirit is an important aspect behind successful teams and Arsenal seem to have that in abundance as they search for their first Premier League title since 2004.

Under Arsene Wenger, the Gunners had some characters at the club and it was once revealed that Jens Lehmann and Manuel Almunia didn’t speak.

Players such as Ray Parlour and Paul Merson had reputations as being practical jokers at the club but one former player revealed he actually walked out of a training session because of an Arsenal teammate.

READ MORE: Jamie Carragher bursts out laughing after the prediction he’s just heard about Arsenal

Thierry Henry forced Tony Adams to leave Arsenal training early

Speaking on an episode of the ‘Indo Sport’ podcast with journalist Joe Molloy, former Arsenal captain Tony Adams revealed that he once walked out of training because of Thierry Henry.

Henry signed for the Gunners in a £11m deal from Juventus in 1999 and went on to become the club’s all-time record goalscorer.

Adams recalled a time where he was asked to defend one v one against the French striker in training and didn’t take too kindly to the request.

He stated: “So, and he [Arsene Wenger] wanted me to come out and defend 1 v 1 versus Thierry Henry. So I go, bye bye. And I start walking in.

“He said, Tony, Tony, Tony, Tony, where are you going? Where are you going?

“I said, no, no, no, no, no. I spent my career not to get into that situation. I said, it’s all about the sum of the parts.”

Martin Odegaard praised Adams by claiming he was the greatest Premier League captain, however, Adams did not want to be embarrassed by his teammate on this occasion.

The former England international was known for his tough tackling and love of defending – he just avoided being in a race with the quickest striker at the club!

How much would Tony Adams and Thierry Henry be worth in today’s transfer market?

Viktor Gyokeres wants to emulate Henry by wearing the famous number 14 shirt at the club and it is testament to the career that the French striker had in North London.

The transfer market has changed significantly since the likes of Henry and Adams were playing and transfer fees have inflated on a major scale.

The £11m Arsenal paid for Henry back in 1999 was seen as a significant investment, however, if you consider that Alexander Isak’s asking price is near to £150m, Henry at his peak would eclipse that today.

The likes of Virgil Van Dijk and Harry Maguire have been purchased in recent years for above the £70m mark and when you consider the solidity that Adams provided to Arsenal’s back four, he would be commanding a similar figure.

His influence on and off the pitch drove the Gunners to a number of league titles and his leadership would be invaluable in today’s modern game.