Arsenal could have signed Federico Valverde from Penarol in 2015 but then-manager Arsene Wenger snubbed him after his trial at the club, according to the Metro.
The Uruguay international spent a week training with the North Londoners eight years ago. However, Wenger opted not to pursue a permanent deal and Arsenal passed up the chance to seal a deal with Penarol.
Subsequently, in 2016, Real Madrid came calling to sign the midfielder from Penarol. The 25-year-old developed on loan at Deportivo de La Coruna before establishing himself at Los Blancos.
Over the years, Valverde has been a critical player for the La Liga giants. The midfielder was pivotal in Carlo Ancelotti’s team winning the Champions League in the 2021/22 season.
However, Valverde has struggled at Madrid in recent months. The Spanish outfit have made some quality additions to their engine room in recent years. Eduardo Camavinga, Aurelien Tchouameni and Jude Bellingham have moved to the Santiago Bernabeu.
Arsenal missed out on a top talent
As a result, there has been uncertainty around the future of Valverde. As per El Nacional, Madrid were open to selling the midfielder for around £68 million in the previous transfer window.
However, Valverde has been an essential figure for Ancelotti at the start of the new campaign. Despite the quality in depth they possess in the middle of the park, the former Penarol star has kept his place in the starting lineup. Luka Modric and Toni Kroos are not getting any younger and Valverde is seen as a long-term replacement.
While Arsenal missed out on Valverde all those years ago and he’d be an excellent addition to any squad, Mikel Arteta has managed to build a solid team at the Emirates Stadium.
Arteta has Declan Rice, Jorginho, Thomas Partey, Mohamed Elneny, Kai Havertz, Fabio Veiria and Martin Odegaard at his disposal in midfield. However, Jorginho and Partey have been linked with moves away from the Gunners, and Arteta could do a lot worse than to look at Valverde if he is in the market for a new midfielder.
