Almost a decade ago, Arsenal had the opportunity to sign Federico Valverde, but they missed out to Real Madrid.
Valverde, who was still a relatively unknown teenager at the time, has since become an important player for Madrid.
Last season, he had his best individual campaign, making 56 appearances and scoring 12 goals.
With the likes of Luka Modric and Toni Kroos nearing the end of their careers, Valverde has become a key player in Madrid’s midfield.
However, things could have been different if Arsenal had managed to sign him.
Reports from Uruguay in 2015 suggested that Valverde had been on trial with Arsenal and a transfer worth €4m looked likely.
Fellow South American Alexis Sanchez, who was at Arsenal at the time, had a significant impact on Valverde and helped him during his time at the club.
Ultimately, Madrid won the race to sign Valverde, and he has since signed a long-term contract with the club.
Article updated 2 months ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
