He wanted to join Arsenal but Arsene Wenger snubbed him, now he’s a two-time Champions League winner

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Over the years, Arsenal signed plenty of amazing players under Arsene Wenger, ranging from forward superstars to defensive powerhouses.

The former Gunners boss had a knack for finding talent and developing them into the next big star at the Emirates Stadium.

With a 22-year stint came some misses on the transfer front as well, with Arsenal unable to sweep up every bit of quality out there.

Among those more recently was Real Madrid midfield star Federico Valverde, who was actually on trial as a youngster under Wenger.

As assumed, his eventual exit from north London saw him join Real Madrid, where he has since won two Champions League titles along with plenty of other accolades.

The star has since opened up about that trial, his desire to join Arsenal and the players who helped him at the club.

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Federico Valverde opens up on Arsenal trial and exit

As a youngster, Valverde joined up with Arsenal for a trial to see if he was able to be part of the first team setup.

Unfortunately for the Gunners, in hindsight, he moved on after being snubbed for a deal and joined Real Madrid – where he has excelled since.

However, the Uruguayan international has revealed that he was extremely keen to join Arsenal in a recent interview.

Speaking to Marca, Valverde said: “I was 16. I said: ‘That’s it. This [Arsenal] is my club. I’m going to grow here’.

“In Uruguay, the Premier League was watched a lot. I imagined a future there. I enjoyed it and I trained with spectacular players.

“I don’t know if he’ll remember me, but Dibu [Emi Martinez] was one of the ones who helped me the most in everything, along with [Hector] Bellerín, Alexis [Sanchez] and [Santi] Cazorla.

“I didn’t know English and they had to explain all the work to me.”

In the end, Wenger’s team snubbed the youngster for a deal as he went off to join the Real Madrid youth team.

Valverde’s rise to the top has seen him win two Champions League titles, three La Liga titles, one Copa del Rey, two FIFA Club World Cups, two UEFA Super Cups and three Spanish Super Cups.

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Federico Valverde would be perfect for Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal side

While few could’ve predicted Valverde’s rise to the top, the fact he was so close to joining Arsenal and even wanted the move makes missing out on him all that more tough to handle.

What’s even more frustrating is just how perfect he would be for Mikel Arteta and his current iteration of the squad.

The 26-year-old is versatile, capable of playing in midfield as well as on the right flank if and when required.

His ability to jump into duels would make him perfect for the current Arsenal boss, while he has plenty of quality too.

Add to that the fact that Arsenal want another midfield transfer and it makes it all the more frustrating.

It’s a shame that the star didn’t develop at London Colney, but it serves as a lesson that the Gunners can’t let the next player of Valverde’s quality leave so easily.