The Dane joined the Gunners academy in 2004 and broke into the first team a year later, but his fiery character got him into trouble from the off.
Bendtner, who eventually left Arsenal in 2014 before spells with Wolfsburg, Nottingham Forest, Rosenborg and now Copenhagen, has written a new book about his colourful career.
The Guardian revealed an extract from in which he describes an encounter with Henry, that turned from a fiery bust-up to some friendly career counselling.
“In May 2005 I am able to sum up my first year in an Arsenal shirt. Since Brady threatened to cancel my contract I have made big strides forward.
“I have scored 12 goals in 18 games for the under-18s and five goals for the reserves. Increasingly I am training with the first team every week and sometimes I forget that I am just on trial with the big boys.
“During one session we are playing 11 v 11 with a maximum of two touches at a time. I am standing in a position to see Thierry Henry touching it three times. ‘Three touches,’ I shout. Wenger’s assistant, Pat Rice, shouts back: ‘Play on, for fuck’s sake!’
“But Henry has heard me. He turns in my direction and puts his finger over his lips: ‘Sssssssh.’ Shortly afterwards I do the same. The ball touches my heel, and then my toe before I pass it on.
“It is one movement but the academy player gets a free-kick against him. Of course I do. I don’t think. I just start complaining, big time. I say it should be the same for everyone.
“Henry tells me to shut up, this time with a lot of swear words included. And in hindsight, it is good advice. But I am not taking it on. I shout back that he is the one who should shut up.
“He runs in my direction, confronts me, yells into my face, says all kinds of things. He totally ignores the fact that the game is going on around us.
“Ashley Cole and Sol Campbell get involved: ‘Carry on, Nicklas, keep on running and shut your mouth.’
“And I do. I become unusually calm. That is what happens if one of the best forwards in the world stands there and shouts at you.
“But that is not the end of it. After training Henry comes after me. We start talking, first in the dressing room and then in the players’ lounge. I didn’t know that he had that many words in him but he does. It is a two‑hour soliloquy about everything that is needed to get to where one wants to get. For me it is an honour. It is nice of him and not something he had to do. I soak everything up and it ends with us hugging each other.
“I think that’s that and that it has been dealt with. But it is not. The next month I don’t train with the first team. Not a single time. Half a year later, when I am back with the first team, I nearly start something similar again.
“This time it is me against Gilberto Silva. The Brazilian shouts that I should pull my finger out. He is arguably the world’s nicest man but I forget that in the heat of the moment.
“Instinctively I think that he should taste the same medicine, that he should shut up, but thankfully I manage to stop myself. I can still hear it: ‘Shut the fu … Yes-yes, Gilberto!’”
Now read...
SPECIAL ONE Six of the biggest jobs in Europe could be up for grabs – will Jose Mourinho be on the shortlist for any of them?
FOOTBALL MANAGER 2020 12 teams we can’t wait to be
