“I will always be grateful to him” – Real Madrid superstar Fede Valverde on treatment from ex-Arsenal man during trial at Emirates
Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde recently credited former Arsenal star Alexis Sanchez for helping him during his trial at the Emirates before he joined Los Blancos.
Valverde has established himself as one of Real Madrid's most important players over the last couple of years and is a regular starter under Carlo Ancelotti. However, his career could have had a very different path had he joined Arsenal back in 2016.
The 25-year-old spent most of his youth career at Uruguayan side Penarol between 2008 and 2015, making his senior debut for the club in the 2015-16 season.
Valverde impressed and was linked to numerous European clubs including Arsenal, Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Chelsea. The Uruguay skipper had a one-week trial with the Gunners, prior to his move to Madrid.
Arsene Wenger opted to not sign Valverde, paving the way for Los Blancos to sign him in July 2016. The 25-year-old addressed his trial at the Emirates earlier this week, paying homage to Alexis Sanchez for his help. He said (via The Sun):
"I have always been grateful to him. 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."
Sanchez played for the Gunners for four seasons between 2014 and 2018. He made 166 appearances across all competitions, scoring 80 goals and providing 45 assists before joining Manchester United.
How has Fede Valverde fared at Real Madrid after being rejected by Arsenal?
Federico Valverde has established himself as a Real Madrid mainstay. The versatile 25-year-old can be deployed as a defensive midfielder, right-winger, and right-back and is renowned for his exceptional work-rate and shooting. Let's take a look at how he's fared at Los Blancos since being rejected by Arsenal.
The Uruguayan played for Los Blancos' reserve team, Castilla, during the 2016-17 season before being loaned for the entirety of the 2017-18 season to Deportivo La Coruna.
Valverde was recalled to Real Madrid prior to the 2018-19 season, impressing manager Julen Lopetegui. He was assigned to the first team and has been a regular part since. He has made 208 appearances in total, scoring 18 goals and registering 15 assists, winning nine trophies with the club.
Valverde is also considered to be 'untouchable' at the club, with Los Blancos reportedly rejecting a £51 million bid by Liverpool this summer.