Former Barcelona president Joan Gaspart claims Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger and England boss Fabio Capello were forced to turn down the chance to coach the Spanish giants.
Barca have been frustrated this summer by the desire of Wenger and Arsenal to hold on to their want-away captain Cesc Fabregas.
And Gaspart insists it was much the same back in 2001, when he tried to lure Wenger and Capello to Camp Nou following the dismissal of Llorenc Serra Ferrer and prior to the permanent appointment of interim coach Carles Rexach.
The ex-Barca chief claims both Wenger and Capello wanted to take over but were prevented from doing so by their clubs, with Wenger going on to lead the Gunners to the double in 2001/02.
Paris meeting"When I was president, in agreement with Rexach, when Serra Ferrer left we negotiated with Arsene Wenger and Fabio Capello to coach Barca," Gaspart told Com Radio .
"I met Wenger in Paris. He wanted to come to Barca but Arsenal didn't let him. The Arsenal chairman ordered him to fulfil his contract.
"Capello also wanted to come, but they (Roma) didn't let him either."
Fabregas spent six years in Barca's youth team before joining Arsenal in 2003 and although the 23-year-old has expressed his desire to rejoin the Catalan outfit, he has five years remaining on his contract with the Gunners.
The English club have already turned down a Ј30million bid for the Spain midfielder, with the transfer saga having run all summer.
Rosell fear
Departed president Joan Laporta has left Sandro Rosell to continue Barca's bid to sign Fabregas.
And Gaspart believes the new chief has nothing to fear, saying an agreement can be struck with Wenger if Rosell travels to meet him.
"My advice, and that's what I've told him, is that this will end by catching the plane to London and sitting down face to face with Wenger," he added.
"Not by telephone, not with intermediaries - this has to be resolved with a meeting in person.
"Rosell must not be scared. If he fails, the whole world will understand, but no-one will be able to say that he didn't try until the end. This fear that he is going to fail - he shouldn't have it.
"It's very difficult for Arsenal to want to keep a player who doesn't want to stay.
"The English are very English, very hard at the time of negotiating. Moreover, Mr Wenger, as a good Frenchman, knows how to play his cards.
"I have seen him in negotiations and he has ended up selling. You have to meet him face to face to know if he is bluffing."
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