World record bids rejected

ByEurosport

Published 22/05/2006 at 08:27 GMT

Arsenal have revealed they rejected world record €73.5m bids for Thierry Henry before the striker signed a new deal with the club. The France forward ended months of speculation he would quit England for Spain by announcing last week he had agreed to a lu

And the club's vice-chairman David Dein admitted two Spanish clubs - thought to be Barcelona or Real Madrid - had attempted to lure Henry to La Liga.

"We turned down two world record deals from Spanish clubs. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to work out who they were," said Dein. "Our message was clear - he wasn't for sale. I'd like to think he heard that."

Liga champions Barça - victors over Arsenal in last week's Champions League final - were thought to be at the head of the queue to sign Henry, whose previous deal with the Premiership side was due to end in 2007.

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FOOTBALL Champions League 2006 Barcelona Arsenal henry ante Marquez y Oleguer

Image credit: EFE

But the 28-year-old admitted he had been impressed by his team-mate's display in the 2-1 defeat in Paris, despite going down to ten men early in the first half as Jens Lehmann was sent off, and Dein revealed the side's youthful promise had played a part.

'HENRY IS A KING HERE'

"He had seen the youngsters emerge after a dark period," Dein said, referring to Arsenal's early-season Premiership troubles before surging up the table to eventually finish fourth.

"We have three teenagers at the World Cup - how many other clubs can say that? The reason they are here is because of Thierry. The first question Theo Walcott asked was "Will Thierry still be here?"

"I believe he also knew that if he went to a club like Barcelona or Real Madrid, he would just be a prince. Here he knows he is a king."

FOOTBALL 2005-2006 Premiership Arsenal Henry

Image credit: Reuters

Henry's new contract will make him the highest earner at the club - due to move to the newly-built Emirates Stadium - but Dein insisted the financial part of the equation was not the player's primary concern.

"We made an offer in January, prodded Thierry now and then, but never put pressure on him," he said. "Money wasn't really mentioned. He wanted to know where we were going, but in reality I think he knew."

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