Thierry Henry and Mikel Arteta were teammates at Arsenal for a very short period.

The legendary Frenchman is one of the greatest players to ever don the famous red and white. He was a superstar in his time and maintained the same aura till he retired.

Arteta only joined Arsenal in 2011. He spent five years as a Gunner, captained the club and helped Arsenal win two FA Cups and two Community Shields.

The Spaniard crossed paths with Henry, but the two never stayed in touch. The Arsenal legend has now explained why.

Henry left Arsenal for Barcelona in the summer of 2007.

The Frenchman brought an end to his eight-year stay at the club, and it really was heartbreaking to see him move on.

Gooners thought that was goodbye, but Arsene Wenger used the MLS scheduling to strike a loan deal for Henry in January 2012 for a little over a month.

Arteta and Henry played six games together before the Frenchman had to return to New York Red Bulls in February.

Even though they spent time together, Arteta and Henry did not remain in contact after the latter left. Here’s why.

Henry told Alex Scott on BBC Sport: “I will be honest with you, when I came back, that was not my generation. Those were not my guys. Understand me well, there’s nothing bad, but when I came back, I don’t think I played with anyone (of my generation).

“So they were not really my guys. So, I didn’t really stay in touch with that group, although when I came back, I enjoyed it.”

Speaking further about Arteta, he said: “You could see straightaway with his brain that he was going to be a coach and a good coach if he was going to take that path. Obviously, being able to work with Pep for such a long time was outstanding, that’s great.”

Mikel Arteta should sign the new Thierry Henry in 2025

Arteta has done a phenomenal job since taking charge of Arsenal five years ago.

The Spaniard has built a terrific squad, one that is challenging for the Premier League title for the third consecutive year now.

To go to the next step, the Gunners need to sign a new striker, and fans are hoping that Arteta will land someone in the January transfer window.

Alexander Isak, who has been compared to Henry, would be our pick for that role. He would be perfect for Arsenal and could make a serious difference in the title race.

Newcastle will demand a fortune for Isak, but we think he’s worth every penny.

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