Real Madrid star Federico Valverde, hailed by many as one of the best midfielders in football, has solidified his role as a pivotal figure in the Real Madrid squad, contributing to their victories in La Liga and the UEFA Champions League in 2022.
However, Valverde's career could have taken a different turn, after trialing for Arsenal, a fact he recently opened up about in his column for The Players' Tribune following his contract renewal with Real Madrid.
Valverde, a talented Uruguayan, admitted that he harbored no personal animosity towards Arsenal. Instead, at the age of 16, when presented with the opportunity to trial for the North London club, he hesitated due to his discomfort with the idea of relocating to London. Unfamiliar with the English language and reluctant to uproot to a new country without his parents, Valverde went ahead with the trial but was ultimately not signed by Arsenal, then managed by Arsene Wenger.
Valverde has now revealed that financial pressures and external influences played a role in his decision to undertake the trial. The allure of the Premier League's wealth and the potential for financial gain for those around him were persuasive factors.
"If you Google me, you will see stories about how I almost went to Arsenal when I was 16," the midfielder said. "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. 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."
Valverde joined Real Madrid from Penarol that same year, where he has since thrived. Winning La Liga twice and clinching the UEFA Champions League in 2021-22, he recently signed a contract extension until 2029, complete with a substantial $1.07 billion release clause.
