Mikel Arteta makes Kylian Mbappe to Arsenal transfer admission as decision made

Mikel Arteta has said that Arsenal have to be in the conversation for Kylian Mbappe's signing this summer.

The 25-year-old is set to leave PSG after confirming to the French champions that he has decided not to take up the option to extend his contract by a further 12 months. Real Madrid are thought to be in the lead to secure his signature, but there is an opportunity for a Premier League club to steal a march if they can match his significant financial demands.

Arsenal are understood to be on the look out for a forward in the summer after struggling in front of goal for much of the season. With 243 goals and 105 assists in 290 appearances for PSG there will not be many better out there on the market than Mbappe.

With the signing of Declan Rice for £105million — a record fee for a British player — the Gunners have shown that they are capable of completing transfers on a significant scale, and Arteta has insisted that his side would need to consider all possible options as they seek to improve the squad.

«Why not?,» he told reporters at the Sobha Realty Centre on Friday morning when asked if Arsenal should be in the conversation to sign Mbappe. «If we want to be the best team, we are going to need the best talent and the best players, that is for sure.»

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Mbappe was heavily linked with a move to Arsenal after his break out season in 2017 with Monaco and has spoken about his strong relationship with Arsene Wenger.

«He is a real French football monument who has left Arsenal. I have not seen many people in this world being viewed in such a unanimous way,»