Because Mikel Arteta last week didn’t flat out reject the possibility of Arsenal signing Kylian Mbappe, it’s led some Gooners to bizarrely come up with reasons why the 24-year-old wouldn’t fit in at the Emirates.
It’s a subject I chose not to entertain most of the summer simply because logically, if you can demand the biggest wages and the most realistic chance of lifting trophies, why would you pick Arsenal?
This happened during the World Cup, when some readers suggested Eddie Nketiah was a better option then a short-term deal for Ronaldo.
Remember those two headers Eddie missed against Man City? Imagine If Ronaldo had been presented with those identical chances?
The latest I read was a fear that Mbappe would slow down the development of Saka and Martinelli.
Martinelli’s one of my favourite Gunners who I think has the highest ceiling to reach.
Yet only two years younger, to compare him to Mbappe is naive, arrogant or both.
In terms of goals, trophies, impacts at World Cups, it’s night and day.
You can see why some rival fans laugh at us.
This season marks two decades since we last won the Prem, only a few of those campaigns have we looked remotely likely of ending that drought, we have just returned to the Champions League after 6 years …… yet some in our fanbase put their noses up to one of the best in the world.
They either don’t appreciate how special Mbappe is, or they think our current squad are a lot better than they actually are?
There’s that theory that the Frenchman’s attitude would upset the dressing room.
To translate, our wage structure makes paying his salary not realistic simply because then you have to start paying his peers parity.
Our manager also prefers to work with youngsters who he can mould into his own ethos and isn’t comfortable with characters and personalities who would garner all the attention.
That doesn’t make Mbappe a bad apple though.
There was nothing wrong with his character when as a teenager he inspired Monaco to a League title or the countless domestic trophies he’s won at PSG.
5 years ago, his personality was good enough to win a World Cup, and in Qatar in December (another World Cup Final) he was class during the game and in applauding Argentina. At 2-0 down he was the one French player who stood up.
If Arteta’s stance is to never work with players who have an ego, then does that mean we never have world class players in North London anymore?
If our boss ever turned down the opportunity to work with Mbappe, that’s a sackable offense.
I think now that it suits their agenda, PSG are happy to portray their player in a certain light.
All their employer has been guilty of is accepting a world that you introduced him to.
PSG didn’t have to pay over the odds to keep a talent they knew wanted to go to Real Madrid.
When it suited them, they were happy he agreed a lucrative extension to his contract.
It’s the employee’s legal right to honour that deal and it’s ironic that he’s now ‘disloyal’ for respecting that agreement yet would be accused the same if he were the one trying to force the move.
PSG made him a rich man as will be the case wherever he goes next.
That’s the sports fault though, let’s not pretend no one else would take it if it were on offer to them?
Whether it’s France, Spain or Saudia Arabia, Mbappe will become even more wealthy simply because he’s one of the best in the universe at what he does.
He will guarantee shirt sales, sponsorship and social media numbers for that reason.
Let’s not forget, this is a sporting contest not a popularity test.
Based on ability, Mbappe makes our team better, he doesn’t go missing when it matters, isn’t crippled by the fear of failure, is mentally strong.
The current dressing room might be the perfect son in laws but ultimately it wasn’t good enough to finish above Man City.
Roy Keane admits never socialising with his teammates. They were his work colleagues and what he cared about was their end product.
I however will not play this game.
I would rather be negative and honest than positive and tell a lie.
Arsenal fans telling each other why they would reject Mbappe, is like me sitting in a bar preaching to my friends why Scarlett Johansson isn’t my type, while they look at my girlfriend who is less attractive.
If I continued to list why she’s not good enough, a true friend would tell me, ‘Dan! She doesn’t care, she wouldn’t choose you!
Whisper it quietly, but when Mbappe thinks of his next move, Arsenal don’t enter his thoughts.
Arsenal made huge progress last season as a team and individually, yet let’s win something before we pretend we are good enough to turn down Mbappe.
Be humble!
Dan
CALLING ALL ARSENAL FANS! Anyone who would like to contribute an Article or Video opinion piece on JustArsenal, please contact us through this link…
