Messi rebuffed Real Madrid, Arsenal advances to continue at Barcelona reveals former agent

Speaking in an interview with the media outlet ‘Kooora’ (h/t MARCA), Horacio Gaggioli, the first agent of Barcelona and Argentina legend Lionel Messi has revealed that Real Madrid and Arsenal both tried to sign him at some point.

However, the record Ballon d’Or winner rejected any overtures as he was always keen on succeeding at Barcelona.

As per Gaggioli, the interest from Real Madrid in acquiring Messi’s services came when the Argentine legend was around 16 or 17 years old, meaning around the time when he broke into the Barcelona first-team setup.

“Real Madrid were interested in him when he was young, he was 16 or 17 years old, but Leo never wanted to leave Barcelona,” he revealed.

Gaggioli then went on to add that Arsenal too tried to sign Messi early in his career but the former Barcelona captain had no intentions of leaving the club.

“Yes, Arsenal showed interest in signing Messi early in his career, but he didn’t want to leave Barça,” he remarked.

Messi relocated from Rosario, Argentina to Barcelona as a youth in February 2001 with the help of Gaggioli, who lived in the city and had set up his tryout with the Catalans.

Gaggioli was involved when the 37-year-old signed his first contract with Barça on a handkerchief. Describing that moment, he recalled:

“That handkerchief was not a contract, but a commitment to sign the player. That handkerchief was the reason that changed the modern history of Barcelona and Messi.”

After spending two decades at the club, Lionel Messi left Barcelona in 2021 due to the club’s inability to renew his contract amidst ongoing financial issues.

“It was a very difficult moment. Leo didn’t want to leave Barcelona, but circumstances arose that forced him to do so,” said Gaggiolo about the club legend’s departure.