Real Madrid Midfielder Federico Valverde Once Believed He'd Play For This Premier League Team

The Uruguayan is one of the most critical players in the starting XI for Los Blancos.

Jordan Merritt | 10 Hours Ago

IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

Since joining Real Madrid in 2016, Federico Valverde took just one season to break into the first team. Since then, he has been pivotal to Los Blancos, one of the first names on the team sheet, and playing numerous positions to support the team when asked.

In an interview with Marca, Valverde discussed several topics, including a trial at 16 with the top Premier League club, Arsenal, a time in his career when he thought that was where his future would be.

Valverde Believed His Long-Term Future Was with Arsenal

The Uruguayan believed Arsenal was his club under legendary head coach Arsene Wenger. However, it did not work out, but it appears to have been a good thing for Federico Valverde.

Imagine Federico Valverde in this Arsenal team 🤯 pic.twitter.com/4NVRFS0Rl6
— AFTV (@AFTVMedia) November 19, 2024

In Uruguay, the Premier League was the most watched soccer league in the country. Valverde dreamed of playing there, and that is where he thought he was going. Lucky for him, Real Madrid made the move after Arsenal failed to offer a deal, and the rest is history.

Valverde spoke about former Arsenal players helping him while he was in London due to the lack of English he could speak. Former players such as Chilean Alexis Sanchez and Argentine Emi Martinez supported Valverde, both of South American descent.

"I don’t know if he’ll remember me, but Dibu (Emi Martinez) helped me the most in everything, along with Hector Bellerín, Alexis Sanchez, and Santi Cazorla. I didn’t know English, and they had to explain all the work to me."

- Federico Valverde

🇺🇾🚀 𝐎𝐅𝐅𝐈𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐋 | Federico Valverde's top strike against Man City has won the Champions League Goal of the Week! 🤩 pic.twitter.com/29I3qqo184
— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) April 12, 2024

Who knows where Arsenal would be if they had signed Valverde. However, the Uruguayan midfielder has won two Champions League medals and three La Liga titles, so destiny put him in the right place.

Valverde Believed His Long-Term Future Was with Arsenal

"I don’t know if he’ll remember me, but Dibu (Emi Martinez) helped me the most in everything, along with Hector Bellerín, Alexis Sanchez, and Santi Cazorla. I didn’t know English, and they had to explain all the work to me."

- Federico Valverde

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