'Messi considered move to Arsenal'

Madrid, July 23 (IANS) A leading Spanish website has claimed that Lionel Messi was interested in a transfer to English Premier League club Arsenal before the Argentine star signed an extension with Barcelona in May.

The 27-year-old was locked in contract extension talks with the Catalan giants and reportedly bonus payments was a cause for concern for both parties.

Spanish website Vozpopuli claimed that Messi had asked former Arsenal midfielder and Barca teammate Cesc Fabregas, who joined Chelsea in the summer, to talk to his agent Darren Dein about a move to the London club.

Messi has a buy-out clause reported to be around a whopping 197 million pounds and the Argentine player earns a massive 16 million pounds a year in wages.