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Camden New Journal - by RICHARD OSLEY
Published: 8 November 2007

Gunners miss out on Messi

Club’s talent-spotter reveals how Arsenal targeted Barcelona’s Argentine star

ARSENAL’S chief scout has revealed how the club narrowly missed out on signing Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi.
Talent-spotter Steve Rowley saw Messi play in the same Barca youth team that featured Cesc Fabregas, but was unable to bring the Argentinian star to London because of work permit difficulties.
Fabregas has blossomed into the lynch-pin of the Arsenal team and a key figure in the club’s title tilt. Messi has arguably proved even more eye-catching on the world scene by staying at the Nou Camp and putting in performances to outshine Ronaldinho, Samuel Eto’o and former Gunner Thierry Henry.
In a rare interview, Mr Rowley said that it wasn’t just the lesser-known players that manager Arsene Wenger tracked from their teenage years, adding: “We know about all the bigger names too. We knew about Messi when we knew about Cesc because they were in the same team, but we couldn’t do anything about it because he is Argentine.
“The prices are more competitive when they are relatively unknown. I think the gaffer likes the fact that they are not going to cost millions and millions, but I also think what’s important to him is that it gives him more scope to develop the player through his own coaching methods.”
Lifting the lid on Arsenal’s network of scouts and the secrets behind Wenger’s recruitment process, Mr Rowley said: “You can never stand still in this game because you know your rivals will always be looking. You don’t turn down a Kaka or a Maradona if he comes along. The scouts are always looking but they have to be a hell of a player to improve on what we’ve got.”

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