Reports: Work permit issues prevented Lionel Messi from becoming an Arsenal player

Lionel Messi (masked) with Gerard Pique and Cesc Fabregas for the youth team at Barcelona in 2003

Arsene Wenger wanted to bring three players from the famed La Masia academy to Arsenal in 2003. Though he was able to successfully complete the signing of Cesc Fabregas, the other two names on his list were Lionel Messi and Gerard Pique, and Wenger wanted all 3 of them to move to Highbury.

Arsenal’s fortunes could have been very different

?Reports suggest that Wenger had convinced both Fabregas and Messi about the transfer, with the promise of first-team football for Arsenal. Unfortunately, he narrowly missed out on the signing of the Argentine magician, who is thought to be the best in the world by many because of issues in his work permit.

If Messi, Pique and Fabregas had all been part of the Arsenal team, the Gunners would have had a lot of success and won a lot of silverware compared to their situation now, when they won the FA Cup last season to end their 9 year trophy drought.

Although Pique and Messi did not move to Arsenal, they’ve experienced a lot of success at Barcelona. They have won multiple La Liga titles and the coveted Champions League twice.

Messi couldn’t play in England due to issues with his work permit, but he had shown to everyone by 2006, when he became a Spanish citizen, that he was destined to become one of the greatest players to have played the sport. Messi has now won the Ballon d'Or four times.

Cesc Fabregas went on to become one of the most dangerous central midfielders in the world and even captained the Gunners, when Thierry Henry left the club to move to Barcelona. But his stay at Barcelona was short-lived and not very successful, and he couldn’t make much of an impact. He joined Chelsea this year for £30 million.

Pique had also moved out of Spain in 2004, for a stint at Manchester United, but he could make only 12 appearances and was loaned out to Real Zaragoza for a year during his four-year stay with United.

After his move back to his home club, he achieved great heights with Barcelona and also became an integral part of the all-conquering Spain side, winning the 2010 World Cup and 2008 and 2012 Euros.