Real Madrid star reveals Arsenal missed the chance to sign him as teenager

Real Madrid star Fede Valverde has become part of the furniture at the Santiago Bernabeu, eeking out a space in the side for himself over the last few years. A fan favourite, he never lacks work-rate, and his grit has been key in their Champions League victories of late. A grit that could have been used at the Emirates.

Valverde has revealed that at the age of just 16, not long before he would be signed by Real Madrid, Arsenal had the chance to sign him. The Gunners had Valverde on trial while he was at Penarol.

“I was 16 years old. They invited me to train for a week with the first team. I imagined a whole future there. When I arrived in England it was very nice. Seeing the clothes they had for training… It was another world. I enjoyed that week. I don’t know if he remembers me, but El Dibu was one of the ones that helped me the most in everything,” he told Universo Valdano, as quoted by Diario AS.

“I speak little in the dressing room. Maybe I won't give you a speech like Diego Godin did, which made you go out almost crying. We are different leaders.”

Fede Valverde to Universo Valdano. #RealMadrid #AtleticoMadrid #Uruguay pic.twitter.com/1y5N9Y8gkj

— Football España (@footballespana_) November 19, 2024

“He was the first to approach me, along with Bellerin, Alexis Sanchez or Cazorla. Within months, I was already training in the Penarol first team.”

Valverde would only manage 13 appearances before he was recruited by Los Blancos, and spent a year at Real Madrid Castilla. A loan spell at Deportivo La Coruna was the making of him though, and after a slow start, began making incursions into the Real Madrid first team. Los Blancos will be grateful that Arsenal did not end up making that move.

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