The Chelsea manager has praised the former Gunners striker and revealed how close he was to working with him at Barcelona…
Jose Mourinho has revealed that he once tried to sign Thierry Henry, and has talked about his huge respect for the former Arsenal man.
Henry announced his retirement on Tuesday after a glorious 20 year career across Europe and the USA.
The 37-year-old had stints in England with Arsenal, Italy with Juventus, in Spain with Barcelona and in the USA with New York Red Bulls, but it was in his time in France with Monaco that Mourinho tried to sign the striker.
“I tried to sign him once in my career, when I as an assistant in Barcelona,” Mourinho told talkSPORT.
“He was in Monaco and he went to Juventus, we lost him by an inch.
“After that he was not on my radar because it was never a possibility to come to my teams. Could you imagine in that moment leaving Arsenal to come to Chelsea? I wouldn’t imagine that.”
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Apart from discussing his own personal history with the Frenchman, Mourinho also praised the former Gunners striker’s amazing spell in North London
“He was okay in Barcelona… but the real Thierry Henry, the player that we are all going to miss forever, is the one that made unbelievable seasons and incredible history in the Premier League,” the 51-year-old continued.
It’s rare to hear Mourinho speak in such gushing terms about anyone, and it shows that the Chelsea boss has a real and profound admiration for the forward.
Henry scored 228 goals for Arsenal in eight years at the club.