‘I was tabled five-year Real Madrid deal – I was convinced to choose Arsenal instead’

Arsenal could knock Real Madrid out of the Champions League on Wednesday, and one Gunners legend in particular would relish such a result given he snubbed Los Blancos to join the Gunners

Lauren once turned down a five-year contract offer from Real Madrid to join Arsenal instead.

One of the more underappreciated members of Arsene Wenger’s 2003/04 Invincibles team, Lauren joined from Real Mallorca in May 2000 in a £7million deal. After a first season plagued by injuries, the Cameroonian began to play a pivotal role as the team’s star right-back.

He clinched the Premier League and FA Cup double in 2001/02 before making 32 appearances as Arsenal secured another league title two years later in their historic unbeaten season, solidifying his status as a club icon despite having been a winger in Spain. However, things could have unfolded very differently had he accepted an offer to join La Liga giants Real Madrid in the same window in which Wenger made his approach.

The now 48-year-old, whose move to Roma had fallen through a year earlier, says he held discussions with Los Blancos – but the financial package offered by Arsenal, along with the more personal approach by Wenger and former vice-chairman David Dein, led him to sign for the Gunners instead.

Lauren opened up to Marca about his career choices, explaining: “In the summer of 2000, while playing for Mallorca, we met in Madrid with Juan Onieva and he offered me a five-year contract, but Arsenal’s proposal was better and the context was different. That Madrid didn’t sign young players like they do now with Rodrygo, Vinicius, Endrick…

“Once I met with Wenger in London at David Dein’s house they convinced me because it was a more attractive project and I think I made the right choice,” reports Football London. Lauren also detailed his experience with Real Madrid’s offer in an interview with the Mail, adding: “My representative came to Madrid, met Juan Onieva [the vice-president] and they didn’t reach an agreement because the economic conditions that Madrid offered didn’t convince us.

“We got on a flight and went straight to London, because there had been contact with Arsenal before. When we arrived we went straight to David Dein’s house. It was David Dein, his daughter who spoke Spanish, Arsene Wenger, me, my representative, and a translator who we had brought with us because my English was non-existent.

“What really struck me was that I had always negotiated in an office with everyone very serious, wearing suits and ties. This was totally different. David Dein opens his home to you. His personality was spectacular, the treatment man to man was fantastic and I left there totally convinced.

“And Wenger, with that human warmth he has, that approachable character of his. During negotiations he didn’t speak too much; he listens to you, watches you, he’s seeing if you have the personality to be able to take on this challenge.

“At Madrid it was like you had to do what they said: this is the way it is, full stop. My dad is a Madrid fan, I was always a Sevilla fan and then Madrid as well, but when another club comes along with another attitude however much you might have liked Madrid, you go to the place where they treat you best and where they offer you the best terms.”

Lauren has no regrets about his decision to join Arsenal, where he became a legend over seven years and continues to serve as a club ambassador. As Arsenal prepare to defend their 3-0 lead in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu, Lauren will surely be watching with pride and anticipation, hoping his old team can secure their spot in the semi-finals.

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