"I imagined a future there" - Real Madrid star Federico Valverde opens up about trial at Arsenal and dreams of playing for the Gunners when younger

Federico Valverde has admitted that he was close to joining Arsenal before moving to Real Madrid. The Uruguayan midfielder recalled that he had trials at the Emirates as a teenager.

Speaking to Universo Valdano, Valverde stated that he believed Arsenal could be his club, adding that the Premier League was big in Uruguay, which pushed him to make the move initially. He said (via Madrid Xtra on X):

"Arsenal trials? I was 16 years old. I said: 'That's it. This is my club. I'm going to grow up here.' In Uruguay, people looked a lot at the Premier League. I imagined a future there."

Federico Valverde eventually ended up joining Real Madrid in 2016 as a 18-year-old. After playing for the youth team and spending a season on loan at Deportivo de La Coruña, Valverde has established himself as a key part of the team at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Real Madrid star Federico Valverde also addressed his trial at Arsenal for The Players' Tribune

Federico Valverde has spoken about his trials at Arsenal in his article for The Players' Tribune. The Real Madrid star claimed that he never wanted to go to England but people around him were keen as it would have gotten them a lot of money.

Valverde wrote:

"If you Google me, you will see stories about how I almost went to Arsenal when I was 16. That's maybe half-true. It's nothing against Arsenal, but I never wanted to go to England. At that time, the business side of football took over. Certain people were telling me, 'Who wouldn't want to go play for Arsenal? You want to stay here in Uruguay? That's crazy!' What they were really saying under their breath was, "We can all make a lot of money if you go."

"You realize that your life is not your own in football. Especially at a young age, you feel more like a hostage. Even your family becomes a hostage. Football is an escape to a better life, especially for us in South America, and the vultures know that."

Valverde stated that he was worried about moving to England alone and adjusting to a new culture and language.

"They put the pressure on you in a "nice" way. 'Damn, Fede, if you go to Arsenal, you'll have a nice bed and a shower that stays warm for 30, 40 minutes! Who wouldn't want that life?' They sent me on trial to London for a week, and I just wasn't comfortable. If you only think of material things, it sounds great. But we are not robots. The reality was that my family couldn't come to London with me. I'd have to live alone, not speaking the language, at 16 years old. For every one kid who succeeds in moving overseas, you don't see the 100 who fail," he added.

Federico Valverde has repeatedly stated that he wants to remain at Real Madrid for the rest of his career. He has made 275 appearances for Los Blancos, scoring 24 goals and providing 25 assists.