Kylian Mbappe looks set to leave Paris Saint-Germain this summer, but Arsenal fans can forget about competing for the French superstar’s signature.
The Gunners were in the mix to sign the 25-year-old when he left Monaco in the summer of 2017 with Arsene Wenger having laid the groundwork ahead of a potential blockbuster transfer.
Mbappe instead opted to join PSG and he has since cemented his reputation as one of the world’s best footballers, having scored an astonishing 169 goals in 199 Ligue 1 appearances.
The prolific forward has come close to leaving PSG in the past but he finally appears ready for a fresh challenge and is widely expected to join Real Madrid after the upcoming European Championships.
Despite that likelihood, many Arsenal fans have dared to dream about the possibility of Mbappe following in the footsteps of Thierry Henry, the north London club’s all-time record goalscorer.
Reports earlier this year claimed were Mbappe ever to contemplate a move to the Premier League, Arsenal would be his preferred destination.
Indeed, Mikel Arteta stoked the flames by suggesting there was nothing untoward about Arsenal being linked with the best players on the planet and welcomed the speculation.
Asked if he had any interest in Mbappe,he said: ‘When there is a player of that calibre we always have to be in the conversation. But as you said it looks in a different way [that Mbappe is joining Madrid].’
Pushed to elaborate on whether Arsenal were ‘in the conversation’ to sign Mbappe, Arteta replied: ‘I am not! Maybe Edu [the technical director] and the owners are, but I am not in those conversations until the last stage.
‘Why not? If we want to be the best team, we are going to need the best talent and the best players, that is for sure.’
Arteta and Arsenal will, however, be forced to look elsewhere for attacking reinforcements come the summer with Mbappe outright rejected the suggesting of a move to the Emirates Stadium after he was confronted by an Arsenal fan.
In a brief video clip posted on Twitter, the supporter can be heard asking ‘Come to Arsenal’ which prompted Mbappe to laugh in response.
‘There’s no way, there’s no way,’ he added. ‘The fan then quizzed why he wouldn’t come to the Emirates to which the player replied, ‘It’s too cold there’.
Arsenal are, meanwhile, already making headway in their plans to strengthen a squad which is challenging for domestic and European glory this season.
A new striker is likely to be a priority for Arteta and Sporting Director, Edu, revealed ahead of the recent win over Newcastle that significant progress has already been made on the transfer front.
When asked by Rio Ferdinand if he is thinking about signing a new striker for Arsenal this summer, Edu told said: ‘I understand what the fans are asking for but we have already our ideas, our targets.
‘We plan a lot ahead of what we’re going to face. I would be worried if we’re not scoring a lot of goals, if we’re not creating chances, which is the opposite, I think we’re creating a lot, we’re scoring a lot of goals.
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