"He was a joy to watch" - Ollie Watkins believes Arsenal legend was the best player to play in the Premier League
Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins has lavished praise on Arsenal legend Thierry Henry. The Englishman believes he is the best player to have ever played in the Premier League.
Henry enjoyed a stellar career with the north Londoners. The electric forward was renowned for his pace, technique, and dribbling prowess during his playing days.
He won two Premier Leagues and three FA Cups in his first stint at Arsenal between 2000 and 2008 before a brief return on loan in 2012. Henry played an instrumental role in the Gunners' historic Invincibles triumph in 2004, helping them win the league undefeated.
The World Cup winner is regarded by many as one of, if not, the best player to have played in the Premier League era, and these claims have been echoed by Watkins.
The Aston Villa star admitted that he was a great admirer of Henry as a child and lauded the Frenchman in an interview with Sky Sports. He said:
"He was the main man, I still say it now, he's the best player to play in the Premier League. He was a joy to watch. When I was younger I used to find full games boring, but whenever Thierry had the ball, I was excited and thought he was going to create something, that's kind of what drew me to him."
Henry registered 377 appearances in an Arsenal shirt, scoring 228 goals and providing 98 assists. He is the club's top goalscorer.
Frank Leboeuf compares Arsenal star to Thierry Henry and Kylian Mbappe
Former Chelsea star Frank Leboeuf has drawn comparisons between Arsenal forward Bukayo Saka and the likes of Thierry Henry and Kylian Mbappe.
Saka has established himself as one of the best wingers in the league at the Emirates. The England international has played a crucial role in his side's title challenges under Mikel Arteta.
Saka displayed excellent form last season for the Gunners, contributing 20 goals and 14 assists across competitions. The 22-year-old has kickstarted the 2024-25 campaign in a similar fashion, scoring and assisting in the Gunners' 2-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Leboeuf has heaped praise on Saka, likening him to Henry and Mbappe. He said:
“He’s technically perfect because he can put it in the far post and near post, it’s not a problem for him, he’s very accurate. We had so many players like that – remember Thierry Henry coming from the other side. Mbappe also when he was at Paris Saint-Germain last season."
Bukayo Saka and Arsenal will next be seen in action against Ollie Watkins and Aston Villa tomorrow (August 24) in a Premier League away fixture.