Arsene Wenger confirmed that he once tried to recruit Kylian Mbappe for Arsenal in the past but was unsuccessful. He revealed that he visited Mbappe’s family to persuade his parents about joining Arsenal. However, the Mbappe family decided to stay at Monaco, despite interest from Liverpool and Real Madrid.

Arsenal’s approach occurred around 2016, when Mbappe was just 17 years old and had just risen to prominence at Monaco. The following year, a photo of Mbappe wearing an Arsenal shirt from 2004 appeared on social media. However, in the same year, Mbappe completed a move to PSG on loan with a compulsory purchase option worth €180 million.

Arsene Wenger told French TV channel TF1: “It was a shock in football. Seeing Mbappe wearing an Arsenal shirt made my heart ache a little.

I went to meet his parents and tried to convince them. At that time, he was still a bit shy. It was when people started asking for his first autographs at Monaco. At the beginning of a career, you don’t face too much pressure. Monaco persuaded him to stay by promising him more playing time there than at Arsenal, Liverpool, or Real Madrid. We can also say that his parents gave good advice, and he made the right choice.”

Mbappe recently completed his move to Real Madrid from PSG and received a record-breaking signing bonus. Now that his future has been settled, Mbappe will focus on competing in Euro 2024 with France.