Arsenal rejected chance to sign £100m-rated Real Madrid star after secret trial

09 September 2023 , 11:30

1170     0

Federico Valverde had a trial at Arsenal before his move to Real Madrid (Image: Getty Images)

Arsenal rejected the chance to sign Federico Valverde before he joined Real Madrid.

The 25-year-old has established himself as one of the best midfielders in Europe in recent years - but it could have been a whole lot different should he have signed for Arsenal. Valverde made the switch to Los Blancos from Penarol in 2016 after having a week-long trial at the Gunners.

But then-manager Arsene Wenger turned down the opportunity to sign Valverde, with Real swooping in to secure his services instead. He was immediately sent to the club's reserve team and also spent a season on loan at Deportivo La Coruna before making his mark in the Real senior set-up.

When asked about his short stint at Arsenal, Valverde spoke about the impact of Alexis Sanchez and his time with the Gunners. He said: "I have always been grateful to him. When I went to train at Arsenal, Alexis was there and he was one of the few who came up to help me.

"I will always be grateful to him because, being a nobody, I was well-received by him. He was there to help me when I was a kid. As a footballer, he is an incredible player."

Mikel Arteta's dream Arsenal line up as last-gasp January transfers are secured

Valverde was handed a chance by Julen Lopetegui in the Real first-team during the 2018/19 campaign and he ended up making 25 appearances in total, winning the FIFA Club World Cup along the way. The midfielder then claimed his first La Liga title in the following campaign, while also becoming a regular for his national team.

Having signed a new six-year deal at Los Blancos in 2021, Valverde assisted the winning goal in the Champions League final against Liverpool later that season. He endured the most prolific season of his career in 2022/23, finding the net 12 times in 52 appearances.

Federico Valverde has opened up on his trial at Arsenal (Getty Images)

Liverpool and Chelsea had been linked with a move for Valverde earlier this summer and he spoke publicly about his future back in June. He told ESPN Argentina: "No, no. I'm at Madrid and I'm trying to enjoy every moment and leave my mark on the best club in the world. I want to keep winning titles for the Real Madrid fans."

Valverde, who is rated at around £100million, showed why there was interest in him after he scored for Uruguay in their 3-1 win over Chile on Saturday, with Nicolas de la Cruz also finding the back of the net in their World Cup qualifying opener. It was a perfect first competitive outing for Marcelo Bielsa after he was appointed back in May.

Kieran King