• Arsenal had tried to sign Messi with Cesc Fàbregas in 2003 • Deal fell through partly because club wouldn’t pay for a flat • Giroud’s early return boosts Arsenal

Arsène Wenger has said that Lionel Messi could have joined Arsenal from Barcelona as a teenager along with Cesc Fàbregas and Gerard Piqué.

Messi, the Argentina captain, developed into one of the world’s greatest players, but was considering a switch to England when he was 15 years old in the Barcelona academy La Masia.

A recent biography suggests the potential deal broke down because Arsenal were unable to purchase accommodation for Messi’s family, who were keen to join him in London, although the South American would still have needed to secure a work permit.

Despite all of their efforts, the Arsenal manager – who also scouted the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Didier Drogba when they were raw talents – believes the player just felt settled in Spain rather than take a chance on a switch to England.

“I think in the end, he was not so keen to move, because it was at a period where Fàbregas came, and Fàbregas and Messi played together in the same team. We wanted to take Fàbregas, Messi and Piqué. It worked only for Fàbregas,” said Wenger.

“It was not completely down to a flat in the end. It was down to the fact that, in the end, Messi was comfortable at Barcelona.”

Wenger also urged England not to take senior Arsenal players to the European Under-21 Championship next summer, suggesting it would not be in the long-term interest for their international development.

When asked if he wanted the likes of Jack Wilshere, Calum Chambers and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to gain tournament experience at the Under-21 competition, Wenger replied: “It depends. If Roy Hodgson wants to do well at the European Championship [in 2016], I don’t think it’s in his interest to overload the players during the summer preceding the European Championship.

“The European Under-21 [tournament starts] on 17 June. The [club] training starts at the beginning of July, then you count 50 to 55 games and then going to the European Championship without any holiday. I don’t think that’s ideal for the preparation of the English European campaign.”

Wenger also confirmed that Theo Walcott will miss Arsenal’s clash with Manchester United on Saturday. “He could not practise yesterday. I don’t think he will be available tomorrow. It is a little tight groin.”