Arsenal are emerging as shock contenders to sign Kylian Mbappe should he leave Paris Saint Germain on a free next summer, it has been reported, with the Frenchman weighing up all of his options before committing to a move.
Mbappe only penned a new deal with PSG 12 months ago, but told them in June that he will not be taking up the optional extra year in the deal agreed in 2022, meaning that his contract is set to expire in 2024 as things stand in a move that could leave the best player in the world a free agent.
PSG are understandably railing against this. Speaking at the beginning of July, president Nasser Al-Khelaifi explained ‘We want him to stay but he can’t leave for free’,
‘It’s for him to decide for himself next week, or at most in the next two weeks, and if he does not want to sign a new contract, the door is open.’
‘It’s like that for him and everyone else. Nobody is bigger than the club, no player, not even me. It’s very clear.
Real Madrid have long been the most likely landing spot for the Frenchman, but they have already shelled out over 100m euros this summer to bring Jude Bellingham to the club, and could be prepared to wait until they could sign Mbappe on a free two years after being burnt by the 24-year-old.
As per the Independent, ‘little competition for Mbappe is envisaged’ for Real Madrid, but that ‘Arsenal would actually be Mbappe’s first preference if he were to ever go to the Premier League, both because he likes the evolution of Mikel Arteta’s team and would also enjoy the challenge of delivering the title to the club again.’
The player, however, is well out of Arsenal’s budget were he to move this summer, with the Gunners having already spent £200m on new faces and unlikely to splash out that much again even if it were for Mbappe.
