Tony Adams has revealed in his new autobiography, Sober, that he was ’embarrassed’ by the contract Arsenal offered him during his final year at the club.

• Adams’ new book has been serialised in the S*n
• Arsenal captain was approached by Manchester United twice – last in 1996
• Previously offered £1m-a-year by Ken Friar and Danny Fiszman
• Claims final contract offered by Gunners was embarrassing

Adams left Arsenal in 2002, choosing to retire from playing rather than move to another team, despite previous interest from Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United.

The centreback has now revealed in his latest book, Sober: Football. My Story. My Life., which is released on 1 June, that the final contract Arsenal offered him was ’embarrassing’ and was a fraction of what he had been earning.

“At that point, the club were putting all their older professionals on one-year deals,” he wrote.

“I went to David Dein’s house in Hertfordshire to talk to him and Arsene about a new contract and was offered a basic sum and then a sum for each game played.

“What I really wanted was a one-year deal with a guaranteed salary. I was shocked. In fact, I felt embarrassed for the club.

“Arsenal were not paying what Chelsea were at that time, as shown when Ashley Cole moved there, but what I was being offered was around half of what I was getting ten years earlier.

“I know I would reach 35 during the following season, but I thought I had done enough for the club over the years to warrant a salary rather than what I saw as a disrespectful appearance-based contract.

“Because I would play only 13 games in my last season, I suppose Arsenal would say they were justified in paying me game by game.

“I just felt it was cheap, and not really in keeping with the club’s tradition of fairness to its employees.”

Adams turned down a coaching role at Arsenal last summer in favour of a move to China, where he became head of Chongqing Lifan’s academy, before being named as Granada’s manager.