Arsenal were the first club to make an offer to Lionel Messi as a Barcelona junior, it has been revealed. In his new book, 'Messi by Guillem Balague', Spanish football journalist Guillem Balague reveals how Arsenal's famous Spanish scout, Francis Cagigao, did everything he could to convince the Argentine's family about moving to London.
Serialised in the Telegraph, Balague writes: "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.'"
