Revealed: Gerard Pique. Close to Arsenal move before Barcelona contact.

Arsenal tried to land the centre-back in January 2004 but he ended up at Manchester United in summer.

Francis Cagigao explains that the transfer didn't happen because of the contractual disagreements.

"It's public knowledge that Gerard Pique was inches away from signing a contract with us, but he joined Manchester United six months later," former Arsenal scout Francis Cagigao told Evening Standard.

"There was some contractual disagreement between the club and Gerard's representatives, and it didn't go forward because of that."

Pique joined Manchester United in the summer of 2004, just one year after Cesc Fabregas left for Arsenal.

The centre-back didn't manage to become a regular for the Red Devils and returned home four years afterwards.