Arsenal signed Carlos Vela in 2006 and, when the Mexican finally got his chance with the squad, there was much excitement at what he could bring in front of goal, but it never really worked out in London, so how did it go after he left?

ST PAUL, MN - AUGUST 10: Carlos Vela #11 of the MLS All-Stars plays the ball ahead of Brayan Angulo #16 of the Liga MX All-Stars in the first half of the MLS All-Star game at Allianz Field on August 10, 2022 in St Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)
ST PAUL, MN – AUGUST 10: Carlos Vela #11 of the MLS All-Stars plays the ball ahead of Brayan Angulo #16 of the Liga MX All-Stars in the first half of the MLS All-Star game at Allianz Field on August 10, 2022 in St Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)

Carlos Vela arrived at Arsenal with the world apparently after his feet, but the move was too much, too soon for the forward.

“Before the 2005 World Cup, I was just a young man following his dreams trying to reach the First Division in Mexico and do something good in soccer,” Vela told the Inside LAFC podcast (via Arsenal-Mania).

“But after that, I went to London, to sign for Arsenal. I was not ready for that, everything was too fast, and I was very young. It was a very difficult moment for me.

“I would not say that it was a moment of great pressure, but mentally you are not prepared for so much.

“When you start you feel that you are the best and that you can do everything and nobody can tell you anything, that was the first mistake I made,” Vela admits. “Over the years I became a better person and a better player.”

Arsenal's Mexican striker Carlos Vela (L) celebrates scoring the second goal with teammate Sanchez Watt (R) during their Carling Cup 3rd round match against West Bromwich Albion at the Emirates, London, on September 22, 2009. AFP PHOTO/GLYN KIRK
Arsenal’s Mexican striker Carlos Vela (L) celebrates scoring the second goal with teammate Sanchez Watt (R) during their Carling Cup 3rd round match against West Bromwich Albion at the Emirates, London, on September 22, 2009. AFP PHOTO/GLYN KIRK

A few years back, former Gunners scout Francis Cagigao reinforced that when he told The Athletic that Vela had “100 per cent of the talent, 0 per cent of the attitude”, something it seems the player himself would agree with about that time.

That was his assessment after watching the player on loan with Celta Vigo – when his parent club was still Arsenal.

Speaking to the media this week, Vela has again been reliving leaving London.

“The most important part of my life came in San Sebastian: my new family,” Vela said. “I came from three years of being in London, which I couldn’t adapt to. I don’t know how to explain it specifically.

“It was a place I don’t have good memories of. I wanted to get out of there.” But it was while on loan in Spain that the enjoyment returned.

“There I started to enjoy my football again after three such bad years of living in England,” Vela added. “I didn’t know anything about the Basque Country. I wanted to leave so much that when I heard I had a good offer to play and leave England, it was a case of me saying: ‘I love it. Yes, let’s go.”

Vela is now 33 and playing in the MLS for LAFC where he has scored 79 goals, with 40 assists, in just 136 games.

He was named the MLS’s Most Valuable Player at the end of 18/19 season when he scored 34 goals, with 10 assists, in just 31 league games.

Vela has, you could say, found himself and his level.