A disastrous season has rattled the Arsenal management and they wasted no time in announcing their first signing of the summer in the form of left-back Sead Kolasinac. While the rest of the big Premier League teams are negotiating contracts and new deals, Arsenal are rubbing shoulders with big guns like Real Madrid in the transfer market.
An image of Arsene Wenger and Arsenal chief Ivan Gazidis at Nice popped up in the social media and gave rise to a lot of speculation. A few of the conjectures pointed at a massive 120 million pound bid for French sensation Kylian Mbappe. Others were hopeful that a deal would be struck between Lyon and Arsenal regarding the signature of Alexandre Lacazette. However, things are yet to be finalised as none of the deals seem to be on the table as of now.
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The 18-year old Mbappe has a host of suitors but here we look at why Arsenal should be his immediate destination.
#1 Mbappe will get a Premier League team where he will be the main man
At a tender age of 18, Mbappe needs regular football. It will be detrimental to the growth of the player if he makes a big money move but fails to make it to the starting eleven. Being a part of a big club in Europe and warming the bench will not be the ideal prospect for the French starlet.
At Arsenal, with the tumultuous situations regarding the Alexis Sanchez’s contract, Wenger will be keen to instate Mbappe as the main man in the attack. His wing play has earned him the accolades and Arsene Wenger will be eager to utilise the same in his 3-4-2-1 formation.
The guarantee of first team football at a premier club under the tutelage of Arsene Wenger should give the teenage sensation enough incentive to sign on the dotted lines. However, a move to Real Madrid, who are the other potential suitors, could prove disastrous for the career prospects of Mbappe as the trio of BBC are the preferred choice and there are other backup players.
#2 Arsenal are one of the best for incubating young talents
Unless one is living under a rock, he would not have any qualms about the potential of Arsenal in handling youthful talents. Countless examples can be cited at this juncture where players have gone on to express their gratitude to the club and Arsene Wenger for helping them reinvent themselves. Be it Alexander Hleb, Cesc Fabregas or Samir Nasri, the players found their optimal levels at Arsenal.
The best example would be Thierry Henry who was signed as an unknown winger from the Italian side Juventus. It was under Arsene Wenger that Henry developed his striking prowess and went on to become the club’s record goal scorer during his tenure at the north London club.
The adroitness that Wenger has and the care he exhibits for his young players are unparalleled. He has often drawn flak for his lack of transfer activity when in essence he was trying to develop the youth system at Arsenal. He has been derided for his youth policy which finally had to be tinkered with after the fans grew impatient with the lack of trophies.
It was not until last season that Wenger finally relented to buy a central defensive midfielder in the form of Granit Xhaka after a bout of injuries had ruled out Santi Cazorla. But till then, the French manager was persistent in his quest to develop the abilities of young French midfielder Francis Coquelin. It is this attribute of Arsene that should prompt the 18-year old French international to sign for Arsenal.
#3 The French camaraderie at Arsenal will allow Mbappe to settle quickly
The French connection with Arsene Wenger and the rest of his prospective teammates at Arsenal will be another major factor which should persuade him to join the Gunners. Be it Laurent Koscielny or Olivier Giroud or the Arsenal manager himself, there is no dearth of Frenchmen at the north London club. Consequently, the familiar brethren will allow the teenager to sync in well and focus on his games.
As was seen in the case of Coquelin, after a brief loan spell at Charlton Athletic, he made his way into the starting eleven and managed to hold on comfortably. The constant support from one’s countrymen in foreign territory helps to soothe the jitters of joining a new club. For Mbappe this will be another critical factor to motivate him to join the north London side.
#4 Mbappe will find a number of opportunities to grow at Arsenal
At Monaco, Mbappe would often be used as the second striker in the supporting role along with Falcao. However, at Arsenal, he will be the wide man, in charge of operations from the flanks. His goal scoring aspect and his assists will be tested in the tough English style of play. He will not be playing second fiddle to the main striker but he will be handed the role of providing assists from the wings and also to dart in open spaces behind the defence.
Thus, it will be a holistic mix of responsibilities in the offence department at the Emirates. With Alexis Sanchez set to depart and Mesut Ozil following suit, the teenage attacker will have a multitude of opportunities to express himself at Arsenal. Since the striker problems have not been completely resolved, Mbappe could find himself be shouldering the role of finding the back of the net as well.
Overall, it will be an opportunity for the 18-year old to take his game a notch higher in the Premier League. Tough, wily defenders will compel him to produce stellar displays in order to deliver results on the field. Consequently, it will be a win-win situation for both the player and the team.
#5 AS Monaco might not be the same next season
As often happens, when a small fish creates a ripple, it is often swarmed by the big sharks. AS Monaco have already started to feel the heat as their attacking midfielder Bernardo Silva has been snapped up by Manchester City. A number of clubs have been keeping an eye on Benjamin Mendy while defensive midfielder, Tiemoue Bakayoko has been on the radar of Chelsea.
This spells the sign of impending disaster as Monaco look set to lose their crucial players for greener pastures. These are not 18-year old players but have hit the ripe age where they feel ambitious and intend to realise their dreams of rubbing shoulders with superstar players and coaches. Consequently, it will not surprise many if the French champions have to let go of their talented players in return of lucrative transfer fees and wages.
Mbappe will find it hard to replicate his success with a depleted Monaco side and it might lead to his loss of form in the process. In order to arrest that, Arsenal seem to be a perfect fit for the Frenchman where not only will he have the opportunity to create an impact but also will be under the tutelage of a sagacious manager.
It is still early days for him but his exceptional temperament has drawn the attention of the erstwhile reticent Arsene Wenger. He had declared it will only be a ‘top top player’ that he will look for in the summer. As of now, it seems, Mbappe is that player the 67-year old Frenchman was talking about. Will he sign for the Gunners or not remains a thing for the future. But, Kylian Mbappe certainly has the odds in his favour to put his name on the dotted lines at Arsenal.
