Ricardo Alvarez has revealed he had a move to Arsenal tied up in the summer of 2011 before Esteban Cambiasso convinced him to join Inter Milan instead.
Alvarez joined the Italian champions in a £10.8m deal in 2011, signing from Velez Sarsfield, who he had been with since 2006, working his way up from the youth ranks to the first team.
He would prove to be a key player for the Argentine side during his three years in the first team, helping them to the Primera Division title in his final year at the club.
His performances that year and a tally of five goals and seven assists earned him recognition in Europe, with Inter Milan eventually winning the race for his signature.
He would go on to make 90 appearances for the Serie A giants, racking up 14 goals and 17 assists and establishing himself on the international stage, where he was a runner up with Argentina at the 2014 World Cup.
Things, though, could have been very different, with the now-retired star admitting he had things tied up with Arsenal before a chat with a compatriot swayed his thinking.
“That year, we had a great season with Velez. We had won the championship and reached the semi-finals of the Copa Libertadores,” he told Il Posticipo, relayed by FC Inter News.
“They started talking about me moving to Europe. Many teams wanted me. My move to Arsenal was almost closed, but I knew that Inter liked me, and I wanted to go to Milan.
“Cambiasso’s call made me understand that they wanted me. I chose Italy. I told my attorney and my parents that I wanted Inter, the team of my dreams.
“In Argentina, it was followed a lot because many of our compatriots played there.”
