VVV-Venlo winger, Romeo Castelen, thought he would play for Arsenal one day, but his career has gone down a very different path.

Castelen, a 34-year-old Dutch winger with 10 caps for the national team, has just joined VVV-Venlo.

He has returned to Dutch football after many years spent in Germany, Russia, Australia, South Korea and China.

The 34-year-old’s career started off well, and he seemed to be climbing the ladder with each move.

Such was his progression that he thought Arsenal, and then Barcelona, would be his next steps.

“I get messages from all corners of the world wishing me good luck at VVV, which is wonderful. Football has enriched me as a person,” he said, as reported by Voetbal Primeur.

“My career has not as I had previously mapped out in my head. I climbed a step higher, from ADO (Den Haag), to Feyenoord, to HSV (Hamburg), then Arsenal maybe, and then, who knows, Barcelona.”

Castelen began his career at ADO Den Haag, before joining Feyenoord in 2004.

He had a successful time there, and caught the eye of Hamburg in 2007, back when the Bundesliga side were still competing in Europe.

Had he been a success at Hamburg, then it was possible that Arsenal, and other teams of that level, could have signed him.

Unfortunately for him, he didn’t have a very good time in Germany.

He managed just 28 appearances five seasons, before moving to Russia, Australia and China.

It goes to show that a lot can happen throughout a career, and that success early on doesn’t guarantee success many years down later.