Kylian Mbappe told PSG this week that he will leave the club at the end of the season; Real Madrid have been strongly linked with the 25-year-old France forward; Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta says the Gunners have to be involved in the conversation to sign Mbappe this summer
Saturday 17 February 2024 07:21, UK
Mikel Arteta said "everyone wants to play for Arsenal" as he addressed potential interest in Kylian Mbappe this summer - although he conceded the PSG forward is likely to join Real Madrid.
Mbappe told PSG this week he will leave the club at the end of this season, with the French club expecting the forward to join Real once the terms of his exit are finalised.
The 25-year-old has also been linked to the Premier League.
Asked ahead of Arsenal's trip to Burnley if he was in the conversation for Mbappe, Arteta said: "I'm not. Maybe Edu and the owners are but I'm not involved until the last stage."
Arteta was then asked if it was a case of why not?
"Exactly," he replied. "Why not? If we want to be the best team, then you need to have the best players, that's for sure."
Asked whether Arsenal would be an appealing project for someone like Mbappe, Arteta said: "The club that we are, I don't think that's ever been an issue. Everyone wants to play for Arsenal.
"At least with the players we've discussed, they've always had a smile on their face when you open the door to that discussion. That's because of our history and everything we've done in the past."
Arteta added: "When there is a player of that calibre, we always have to be in that conversation. But it looks in a different way, that's what I would say."
PSG manager Luis Enrique declined to comment on the news when he spoke to reporters on Friday, saying: "No. I can't say anything."
He was then asked if he was worried about the player's commitment for the rest of the season, but made it clear this was not a topic up for discussion.
"I am going to try to bring this topic to an end. I don't have any comments to make," he said.
"The parties involved haven't yet said anything publicly, Kylian Mbappe hasn't said anything publicly. When both parties speak, I will give my opinion."
Sky Sports' data editor Adam Smith:
Many believe Arsenal cannot win the Premier League this season without a 30-goal-a-season striker. So would Mbappe provide the goals needed to make the Gunners serial Premier League winners?
Well, Arsenal's title chances would jump eight per cent - from 11 per cent to 19 per cent - if the Gunners signed Mbappe at the start of next season, according to leading sports intelligence agency Twenty First Group (TFG).
The data wizards also project the 25-year-old would score between 28 and 32 goals in the Premier League during the 2024/25 campaign, based on his historical conversion rate in Ligue 1 and Arsenal's expected goals.
The data model suggests Mbappe would become the second-best striker in the Premier League, behind only Erling Haaland, and the third best in Europe, behind Haaland and Harry Kane.
In terms of transfer value, TFG estimates Mbappe would cost £117m with one year remaining on his contract, rising to £132m with two years and £150m with three years.
PSG and Mbappe - who is out of contract this summer - still need to negotiate whether he will leave for a fee or sacrifice his own earnings. PSG have Mbappe's word that he will never leave on a free transfer.
Real Madrid hold a long-term interest in Mbappe, who would have to take a pay cut to join the Spanish side, even though they are prepared to make him the highest-paid player in their history.
PSG turned down a €220m (£188m) offer for Mbappe from Real Madrid in August 2021. The forward then chose to sign a new three-year deal with PSG that expires this summer.
If Mbappe were to extend his deal by a further year, PSG would value him at €150m (£128m) in the upcoming transfer window. They accepted a €300m (£256m) from Saudi club Al Hilal last summer, which Mbappe turned down.
Sky Sports News chief reporter Kaveh Solhekol:
"Mbappe costs PSG an absolute fortune, in the region of £180m a year when you factor in his wages and bonuses. There's a sense of relief that this whole circus is going to be over and their future is going to move in a different direction.
"Everybody knows Real Madrid want to sign him. He's been in talks with the for a long time because since January he's been able to talk to other clubs as he's out of contract this summer.
"Our information is, Real are prepared to make him the highest-paid player in history but there is no way a club even as big as Real can afford to pay him the kind of money he was earning at PSG."
Spanish football expert Alvaro Montero:
"Inside the club, everyone is positive, especially Florentino Perez and Jose Angel Sanchez. They are the ones who know what is going to happen. They believe in March or April that Mbappe will tell the club - not publicly - where he is going to play.
"Everybody inside the club believes he is going to play for Real Madrid but let's see what happens, especially in the next weeks.
"At Real Madrid, the player that earns the most is on €24m [£20m] per year. Real, it has been reported, could offer him €25m [£21m] after tax, so around €50m [£43m] before tax.
"Inside Real Madrid they believe that the amount of money Kylian has earned in the last two or three years is down in part to the famous £200m bid Real Madrid made to sign him before he signed a contract extension at PSG.
"The club believe that the money he has earned, in part, is thanks to Real Madrid's offer that was rejected by PSG."
You can now start receiving messages and alerts for the latest breaking sports news, analysis, in-depth features and videos from our dedicated WhatsApp channel!
