Friday, 21st November, 2014
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has revealed that he wanted to sign Lionel Messi and Gerard Pique, at the time he plucked Cesc Fabregas from Barcelona's youth ranks.
Messi, aged 15 at that time, was part of Barcelona's academy along with Pique, another of Wenger's targets and Arsenal's future midfielder Fabregas.
The deal worked only for Fabregas, while the Frenchman was left disappointed with the other two, who have since blossomed.
"We wanted to take Fabregas, Messi and Pique. It worked only for Fabregas", Wenger was quoted as saying by the BBC.
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While Pique joined Manchester United in 2004, Fabregas spent eight years at Arsenal before returning to the Camp Nou.
As far as Messi is concerned, the Argentine decided to stay in Spain, going on to win six La Liga titles, three Champions Leagues and two Copa del Reys with the Catalan giants.
Denying suggestions that the 27-year-old's move did not materialise due to an accommodation issue, Wenger added that Messi was not keen about the move.
"I think in the end he was not so keen to move.
"It was not completely down to a flat in the end. It was down to the fact that Messi was comfortable at Barcelona."
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