Lionel Messi's first-ever Barcelona contract - famously scrawled on a napkin - set to go to auction as Blaugrana pass up on chance to display it club museum

The deal was struck between the Catalan giants, Argentine player agent Horacio Gaggioli and Messi's then-representative Josep Maria Minguella on December 14, 2000, with Blaugrana director Carles Rexach famously taking the decision to write down the contractual words on a napkin. Now, privately-owned auction house Bonhams will run the auction of said contract in London between March 18 and 27 on behalf of Gaggioli. The starting price will be £300,000 ($381,000).

The contract represents a seminal moment in Messi's career - and a historic one for the world of football - but its origin story is certainly unusual. According to The Athletic, Rexach's decision to scrawl the words on a napkin came after Gaggioli informed him of interest from Real Madrid. Barcelona had been reluctant to sign Messi despite his impressive two-week trial with the Blaugrana. A meeting was then set up with Messi's representatives but Rexach was unable to draw up a contract in paper form, and so he went about writing a document that would be legally binding in the most unorthodox of ways.

Ian Ehling, head of fine books and manuscripts at Bonhams New York, said of the opportunity to auction such a historic footballing piece: "This is one of the most thrilling items I have ever handled. Yes, it’s a paper napkin, but it’s the famous napkin that was at the inception of Lionel Messi’s career. It changed the life of Messi, the future of FC Barcelona, and was instrumental in giving some of the most glorious moments of football to billions of fans around the globe.”

Messi's first-ever contract had been in the possession of Minguella for many years, and he told Catalunya Radio on Wednesday that he had offered it to Barcelona to display in the club's museum. However, after receiving no response from the Catalan club, Minguella elected to send the contract off for auction. He says he will donate the money raised to Barcelona's foundation.