Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta ‘meets’ Kylian Mbappe before transfer announcement

It was the last opportunity for Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta to meet Kylian Mbappe before the 24-year-old announced a major transfer. Mbappe played the entire ninety minutes of his final Paris Saint-Germain game last weekend as they defeated Lyon 2-1 to win the French Cup.

Mbappe was the subject of numerous transfer rumors last summer after it was revealed he would not be staying in Paris past 2024. Following his initial ban from first-team activities, Mbappe made a comeback and, as was to be expected, was a major contributor to PSG’s third straight Ligue 1 championship.

Even though it was anticipated that Mbappe would sign with Real Madrid, his exit strategy remained consistent throughout the season, and as a result, he has been the subject of many transfer rumors in recent months. In light of this, Arteta gave a very instructive response when questioned about the prospect of signing the France international.

When asked if Arsenal should be in the running to sign Mbappe, he responded, “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.” Financially speaking, though, it always seemed like a hard deal to make because Madrid was one of the few teams that could afford his demands.

Although official confirmation of the transfer has not yet been received, there is still a remote chance that a dramatic transfer U-turn will happen, though this is probably going to be ruled out very soon. When questioned why he had not disclosed his next club, Mbappe said, “I think that the best thing to do is to finish these goodbyes,” following the victory over Lyon.

“I believe my only goal was to perform well for my club. A trophy is present. Everything has its proper time, in my opinion. When the time comes, I’ll announce my new club. It’s only a few days away, I believe, so nothing is wrong.” Arteta appears to have spoken with Mbappe about that, which is probably going to happen after Madrid’s Champions League final match against Borussia Dortmund.

At the KAFD Globe Soccer Awards Europe, Arteta accepted his trophy for “Best Coach – Premier League” and shook hands with Mbappe, who was also present. Additionally, the two had a quick conversation, with Mbappe giving the Spaniard a pat on the back as he turned to leave.

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Understandably, some Arsenal supporters have taken this in a certain light, believing that Arteta may have also had a private conversation with Mbappe regarding a future transfer.