Arsenal were "close" to signing €100m-rated Real Madrid star

The Gunners nearly signed Federico Valverde before his move to Real Madrid in 2016.

Federico Valverde has developed into a crucial player in Real Madrid’s midfield line since his move to Santiago Bernabeu in 2016.

Valverde started his European career with a move to Real Madrid’s academy from Penarol. But the Blancos were not the only club who were interested in signing him. In a post on TikTok, the 25-year-old revealed that he came close to joining Arsenal before his trial in Madrid.

Valverde was full of praise for former Arsenal star Alexis Sanchez, who supported him during his week-long trial at the club.

“I have always been grateful to him,” he said about the Chilean. “When I went to train at Arsenal, Alexis was there and he was one of the few who came up to help me.

“I will always be grateful to him because, being a nobody, I was well-received by him. He was there to help me when I was a kid. As a footballer, he is an incredible player.”

Arsene Wenger eventually decided against signing Valverde, with the Gunners adding Granit Xhaka to their midfield line in the same summer. Valverde, however, managed to secure a move to Real Madrid, where he has already made 215 senior appearances.