10 Players You Didn't Know Barcelona Almost Signed

2. Andrea Pirlo

In his autobiography released earlier this year, legendary Italy midfielder Andrea Pirlo revealed he came close to joining Barcelona back in 2010. The veteran Juventus star wrote in 'I Think Before I Play' that he came close to joining the Catalan club during his playing days for AC Milan. Zlatan Ibrahimovic was headed in the opposite direction and Pirlo announced he was interested in a switch to the Nou Camp at the time. In a brilliantly-philosophical passage in his autobiography, the midfielder wrote: ""With their noses pressed up against the windows, lots of players were peering at the scene unfolding outside. Both curious and impressed, they watched Ibrahimovic walking his tightrope. At one end, Barcelona, and a fire that was dying out. At the other, Milan, and a spark turning into a flame.

"We were heading in different directions, Ibrahimovic and I. The world knew all about his situation, but nothing about mine. If these initial advances became a full-blown love affair, I'd wind up part of a truly great club and be thrown into a new challenge. I'd have liked that, a lot.

Barca made enquiries into a swap deal. Pirlo continued: "The discussions went on for a while and, ultimately, Milan didn't give in. I suppose it was always going to go like that. Back then, they still thought I had all my faculties and so they kept me, without ever getting involved in full-on negotiations.

"There were words, brief chats, a little bit of back and forth, but nothing more substantial."

Pirlo ended up staying at Milan for another year before heading to Serie A rivals Juventus, where at the age of 35 he continues to pull all the strings at the Turin club and defy any notion of retirement.