Arsenal icon reveals how close Mbappe move was after meeting with star

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta reviews Everton game

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info

Ex-Arsenal star Gilles Grimandi has revealed that his former side were very close to signing Kylian Mbappe in 2013, an acquisition that would have ‘changed the club’.

Grimandi spent five years at Arsenal and was a key player for Arsene Wenger, with his versatility meaning that he was able to provide cover in several different departments. The Frenchman made 114 appearances for the club and won two Premier League titles before joining Colorado Rapids in 2003.

Just three years later, Grimandi returned to Arsenal as a scout and played a key role in their recruitment of French players until 2019, when he left to become technical director at Nice. Speaking to SunSport, the 52-year-old has revealed that the Gunners came incredibly close to securing the signature of Mbappe but their on-pitch struggles at the time were a stumbling block in negotiations.

He explained: “The job of scouting is about finding but also missing players. For me, it is Kylian Mbappe. We just could not convince him. He was out of contract in June 2013 and we met him in February. If we could have convinced him to join, he would have changed the club — but he then decided on Monaco.

“Arsenal were not always playing their best so it was quite complicated. At first, it was easy, as soon as we talked to a player he wanted to sign it. However, if you are not getting results it is difficult to bring top players to help the team.

“That’s why it is important to stay at the top for as long as possible. It is so much easier.” Arsenal underwhelmed in the season that they were directly in talks with Mbappe, finishing fourth in the Premier League and failing to progress any further than the quarter-finals in all cup competitions.

Mikel Arteta would certainly adore having a player like Mbappe leading his line currently, with Gabriel Jesus still recovering from a knee injury that he sustained at the Qatar World Cup. However, the manager has been forced to rely on his academy products to step up in the absence of their No 9.

Grimandi spoke about how he watched two of Arsenal’s young prospects rise through the ranks during his time as a scout, adding: “The likes of Bukayo Saka and Eddie Nketiah, who I watched develop, prove you should never forget the talent you have inside your club, even in difficult times.”

Source: Read Full Article