Mikel Arteta expressed his belief that Arsenal should aim to recruit top-tier players like Kylian Mbappe.
Arsenal boss was asked on Friday whether he had any interest in Mbappé, and he said:
“When there is a player of that calibre we always have to be in the conversation.
But as you said it looks in a different way [that Mbappé is joining Madrid].”
Pushed to elaborate on whether Arsenal were “in the conversation” to sign Mbappé,
Arteta replied:
“I am not! Maybe Edu [the technical director] and the owners are, but I am not in those conversations until the last stage.
“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.”
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Arsenal found themselves constrained by Financial Fair Play rules in January after spending over £200 million ($251m) last summer,
and although a move for Mbappé would not require a transfer fee, any deal would shatter the club’s current wage structure with the forward believed to earn north of €650,000 per week ($700,000).
Arsenal’s highest earner is thought to be Bukayo Saka on around £300,000-a-week including bonuses.
Discussing how attractive Arsenal are to elite players,
Arteta added:
“The club we are, I don’t think that has ever been an issue. Everybody wants to play for Arsenal.
At least the players we have held discussions with, they always have that smile on their face the moment you open the door and start to have that discussion.
“That is because of our history and everything we have done in the past as well.”
