Arsenal missed out on Leo Messi !

Arsenal missed out on Leo Messi !

16th October 2004 can be renamed as the Leo Messi day as the forward made his first professional appearance for the Catalonia club, and now after ten years to that day Leo Messi has established himself as one of the finest the game will every witness.

The four time Ballon d'Or winner and a Barcelona trainee wasn't only known for his exploits on the professional stage, but was tracked by a host of clubs when he was young and Arsenal almost signed Leo before he was tied down to a big contract. Even Gerard Pique was tracked by Arsenal as they eventually signed Cesc Fabregas and missed out the above mentioned two.

From the book of Spanish football expert, Guillem Balague we get to know the inside story of how Arsenal missed out on Messi and Pique.

"Although the international scouting system was far less developed
and universal than it is today, it would have been impossible for the
generation of ’87 not to have attracted admiring glances from
foreign clubs. So it was that during the 2002-03 season the Cadete
A side was followed closely by Arsenal who were looking to sign not
just Cesc Fabregas, but also Gerard Pique and Leo Messi.

"It all began with a game in Lloret de Mar against Parma. On that
day Pique didn’t play, but the rest of the gang, who had already
won the game, did. Arsenal’s representative in Spain, Francis
Cagigao was astonished.

"He had just witnessed something very different, and quite
extraordinary, namely the control of Cesc and the talent of Leo. He
spent that day, and many more, fruitlessly searching for the
Argentinian’s agent.

"He came back to see Alex Garcia’s side in the MIC tournament at
Easter. While Barcelona were battling against a new rival, Cagigao
was speaking on the telephone. ‘If only I could find someone who
works with the Argentinian youngster…’ As he put the phone down
one of Leo’s representatives in Spain, Horacio Gaggioli, who had
overheard the conversation, approached him. ‘I believe you’re
looking for me.’

"That night Francis had dinner with the agent and expressed an
interest in Messi, an interest that culminated in an offer being
passed to the boy’s father, Jorge. From that moment the lines of
communication between Arsenal and the Messi were open. Cesc
and Pique were also targets.

"Cagigao’s report was unequivocal. Messi was a ‘little flea’ aged 15
with extraordinary qualities, although he still didn’t possess the
power that he would later add to his game.

"He was intelligent with an extraordinary capacity for finishing.
There were some doubts because of his lack of height, but they were
easily outweighed by the quality of his playing.

"Cagigao was one of the few, indeed, probably the only, European
club scouts at these tournaments, so the offer from Arsenal was
Leo’s first from a foreign club since he had arrived at Barcelona.
"The Messis listened to what Arsenal had to say but they were not
about to have their heads turned. Obstacles were apparent in any
potential agreement.

"The English club could not offer a flat for the family, and there
would be difficulty obtaining a work permit. Bit by bit points of
mutual interest evaporated until the offer lay dead in the water. But
they left Jorge with a message: ‘Any time you encounter problems,
remember, our club wants him.’ In any case, Arsenal had managed
to secure the signings of Pique and Cesc. Well, almost.

"Pique traveled to London to see their training facilities, everything
was agreed and confirmed, only for a legal matter to delay the
process: he was not yet old enough to sign and Arsenal suggested
that they should make a verbal agreement that would be confirmed
in a year’s time, when he was 16. The same agreement that they
worked out with Cesc. Pique (or, to be precise, his agents) said no."