Arsenal and Manchester United suffered a major blow in their pursuit of AS Monaco sensation Kylian Mbappe when the club confirmed that the player is not likely to move anywhere this summer. The 18-year-old has been one of the star performers for the Ligue 1 leaders this season, scoring 12 goals and has provided eight assists in 22 appearances.
Some of Europe’s top clubs are chasing the player to sign in the coming summer and Arsene Wenger has even confirmed an interest in the player a few weeks back. The French youngster has drawn huge comparisons with Arsenal legend Thierry Henry. And with Gunners star Alexis Sanchez possibly moving out of Emirates at the end of the season, Arsenal had Mbappe as one of their prime alternatives for the Chilean.
And now with Le Parisien reporting that the French leaders are confident of retaining him for at least one more season, Arsenal will have to dig deeper to find a player equally potent or impactful. Monaco have most likely held talks with his representatives and a new contract with modified terms are on the cards.
Alexander Lacazette- The AS Lyon forward has been on Arsenal’s radar for the past two seasons but nothing has materialised. The 25-year-old has been one of the most prolific scorers in Ligue 1 this season scoring 23 goals in 24 appearances for the French club and possesses similar attributes to Mbappe. A constant chaser of the ball, Lacazette’s tenacity forces defenders to make mistakes. His pace on and off the ball and sublime finishing skills make him a deadly candidate in front of the goal.
Dries Mertens- The Belgian has taken Serie A by a storm of late. The Napoli man has scored 25 goals and seven assists so far and is finding the net at will at the moment. Although 29, age doesn’t seem to hold him down as is evident from his pace and dribbling attributes. Mertens’ addition to the Arsenal squad could play a huge role in Arsenal’s European dreams.
Lorenzo Insigne- Another Napoli player, who has now been impressive for over the past few seasons at the club. Arsene Wenger has been a long-term admirer of the player, and now with the player expressing frustration at the lack of respect from the club, who have delayed in offering him a contract extension, Arsenal should surely capitalise on the situation. The 25-year-old has netted 12 goals and provided seven assists so far and looks like an ideal candidate for Arsenal to go for if the Chilean leaves.
