Share

Mbappe rejected Arsenal to return 'home' to PSG

London - Paris Saint Germain forward Kylian Mbappe says he rejected an approach from Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger in favour of moving to the French giants.

Mbappe spoke with Wenger over the possibility of leaving Monaco to join the Gunners, but instead he decided to return to the French capital.

The 18-year-old France international striker grew up in Paris, playing for Monaco before joining PSG on loan last week, with a deal in place for him to make the move permanent next year for a reported fee of £166 million.

Mbappe has now revealed Arsenal's interest, telling the Daily Telegraph: "Yes, I met with Arsene Wenger, who is a great coach.

"He has a great reputation here in France, he's well-respected and knows how to develop young players. This was a real option for me. But, of course, Paris St Germain was the main option."

Mbappe opted to work under PSG coach Unai Emery in a front line also featuring £200 million world record signing Neymar, who made his blockbuster move from Barcelona in August.

"We weighed up the advantages and disadvantages of all the clubs but my family told me it had to be my decision and one I needed to make," Mbappe said.

"It also had to be a long-term decision. So it was up to me and I decided to come here in order to develop."

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should the Proteas pick Faf du Plessis for the T20 World Cup in West Indies and the United States in June?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Faf still has a lot to give ...
50% - 8 votes
No! It's time to move on ...
50% - 8 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE