Defender who denied Arsenal aims for promotion with Ituano and keeps alive the dream of playing in Europe

Summary At 31, Ituano defender Luiz Gustavo reflects on his career, including his decision to turn down Arsenal as a youth player, as he seeks promotion to Serie B and maintains his dream of playing in Europe.

Currently at Ituano, Luiz Gustavo has already worn the shirts of clubs such as Palmeiras , Vitória, Vasco da Gama and Goiás since he began his professional career in 2012. The 31-year-old defender's trajectory, however, could have been very different.

In 2008, at just 14 years old, the defender caught the attention of scouts from Arsenal, England, after a junior São Paulo Championship with Mirassol and was called up for a trial period in Europe.

This invitation was accepted by Luiz Gustavo, who spent about a month training with the Gunners' B team. The most difficult part, which was to impress the directors and the then coach of the first team, Arsène Wenger, he managed to do.

Everything seemed to be heading towards a move for the defender from the interior of São Paulo to England, right? Wrong. In a decision that he now regrets somewhat, the boy chose to return to Brazil. The reason? He missed his family.

“It was a very personal decision for me. Even though I talked to my parents at the time, it was my decision. [...] Even though I knew I was a giant in Europe, I didn’t realize it. I had a hard time being away from my family. I was very attached. It’s one thing to be in São Paulo, six or seven hours away from my family. It’s another thing to be on the other side of the world,” he says in an interview with Terra .

The Brazilian's days at the Emirates Stadium yielded some advice from Wenger, with the help of a translator, as the defender did not speak English: “He was following me in training and really liked it. He told me to continue the way I was, that paths would open up and things would happen naturally.”

There, Luiz Gustavo was, of course, impressed by names like Cesc Fàbregas, Emmanuel Adebayor and Bacary Sagna. But, along with Wellington Silva, ex- Fluminense and Arsenal, he also had the support of two Brazilians who wore the Gunners' colors.

“There was Denilson, the midfielder, and Eduardo Silva, who were there at the time. They helped a lot. Their advice was more focused on taking advantage of the opportunity,” he recalls.

In addition to spending time with world football stars, the defender remembers a different trip to London: “What really left a mark on me at the time was visiting the Nike store. It was everyone’s dream to have a Nike boot, a sponsorship. They took us to the store, which was Arsenal’s official sponsor, and I was amazed. It was huge. You could assemble a boot the way you wanted. They would put the mold on your foot, choose the color, and put your name on it. It was something that really left a mark on me.”

After returning from England, Luiz Gustavo signed with Palmeiras, where he completed his youth training and made his professional debut. Despite finally moving to São Paulo in 2009, the defender recalls other offers he had previously turned down, all for the same reason: missing his family.

Cruzeiro , Santos, São Paulo and Corinthians showed interest in his football while he was still a teenager. But the courage to leave Valentim Gentil, in the Votuporanga region, for the first time, was a matter of caution.

About an hour away from his hometown, Luiz Gustavo settled in Mirassol to play for his eponymous club. Even though it was a short distance away, the decision was only made because his brother, also a soccer player, was already at the club, which made it easier for him to adapt away from his parents. He remained at Leão until joining Palmeiras in 2009.

As time went by, the defender began to understand the importance of the opportunity he missed. Although he recognizes the achievements he has achieved throughout his career, he understands that his development could have been greater with the training he received in England.

“Today, I regret it. At the time, when I was younger, I had no idea about this situation. I have a history here in Brazil too, but having a base at Arsenal, a European giant, and at Palmeiras too, which is a gigantic club, you learn and evolve a lot, where the level of pressure and demands is very high every day. I would have learned a lot more, I would have evolved a lot more,” he says.

Among the achievements in his career, Luiz Gustavo has become an important part of the promotion of some clubs. There are already five, for Vitória, Avaí , Cuiabá, Mirassol and Juventude , and now he is looking for the sixth, this time with the Ituano shirt.

“To be champions and seek promotion. That is our goal, what we have left. We didn’t have a good state championship, because we didn’t get promotion to the Série A1 here in Paulista. But it was a great learning experience, a great maturation. It was a group that was still developing and some things didn’t work out,” he explains.

If before signing with the Itu team, he even thought about retiring due to "situations that no one deserves to go through", today the defender keeps alive the dream of playing in European football.

“Depending on the situation, yes. I would definitely go. I still believe. I still have this dream of playing in Europe, even though I’m 31 years old, I have a lot of fuel left to burn. I can handle it. So, it’s still a dream that I have of being able to step foot in Europe,” he adds.

After returning from England, Luiz Gustavo was approached by a German team on loan, but the deal did not materialize. Now, he relies on the help of his wife, who is a nutritionist and provides specific support, aiming at the longevity of the 31-year-old athlete's career and, who knows, maybe even making his dream come true.