Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta responds to potential Kylian Mbappe move after PSG put him up for sale

The Gunners have been linked with a move for the Frenchman this summer

July 22, 2023 at 10:03 am GMT+1

Arsenal boss has refused to rule out a move for Kylian Mbappe this summer after PSG put their star man up for sale.

The north London side have already spent in excess of £200m on Declan Rice, Kai Havertz and Jurrien Timber in a bid to go one better than last season’s second-placed Premier League finish.

File photo dated 16-04-2023 of Declan Rice. Arsenal have submitted another club-record bid for Declan Rice in an attempt to land the West Ham skipper. Issue date: (enter date here). 2R9N4Y9 File photo dated 16-04-2023 of Declan Rice. Arsenal have submitted another club-record bid for Declan Rice in an attempt to land the West Ham skipper. Issue date: (enter date here). (Alamy Stock Photo)

They may not be done there either, with more additions potentially on the cards should they be able to shift some of their excess squad bloat, including the likes of Cedric Soares, Rob Holding and Nicolas Pepe.

Quizzed on new signings, the Gunners boss admitted that further new blood could well be coming to the Emirates Stadium before the transfer window shuts on September 1st.

‘I don’t know. There will be movement still. There will be a lot of ins and outs’, he explained. ‘It’s still very early. Obviously the last week has been a bit quiet. If we can try and improve the team we’ll do so. But we don’t want to get any weaker so we have to be sure of that as well’

One player who has been linked to north London is Mbappe, who is thought to have been ‘put up for sale’ by Paris Saint Germain in the midst of a contract standoff and has been left out of their pre-season tour of Japan.

Previously, it has been claimed that Arsenal would be Mbappe’s preferred choice of club should he come to the Premier League, though it is widely expected that he will complete a long-awaited move to Real Madrid.

Quizzed on the links, Arteta refused to be drawn though.

“You know I never talk about players that don’t play for our club,” Arteta said. “I’m sorry.’

Should he become available, he would likely be yet another British record transfer for Arsenal, and would elevate the Gunners from also-rans to title favourites.