Arsenal have learnt the true cost of completing a deal to sign Paris Saint-Germain superstar Kylian Mbappe. The French forward has informed PSG that he will not be activating the option to extend his current contract by a further year - which is set to expire in 2024.
The 24-year-old's decision has sparked yet another transfer saga at the Parc des Princes with PSG taking a clear stance - either Mbappe signs a new deal or he is sold this summer. Real Madrid have emerged as the most likely destination for the prolific forward, although it is currently unclear whether or not the Spanish giants can afford to sanction a move.
Premier League sides Chelsea and Arsenal have also been mooted as potential alternatives, but again the finances involved in a deal are astronomical. Former Gunners striker Alan Smith has warned his old club about the perils of potentially shattering their wage structure to sign Mbappe. Smith told Gambling Zone: "I would think that the chances of Mbappe joining Arsenal are extremely unlikely.
"The money that it would take to sign him would be astronomical. I think the only place he can go is Real Madrid.
"I think that’s the only place and that is probably the place that he wants to go as well. Financially, we know the club is run really well.
"I think Arsenal would be very conscious of the wage structure they have in place, which needs to be tightly controlled," he added. Smith is right in that any club willing to sign Mbappe would need to fork out a huge transfer fee and then be committed to making the Frenchman the highest-paid player in the squad.
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Sky Sports reporter Kaveh Solhekol has detailed the mind-boggling figures involved in striking a deal to sign Mbappe. Speaking to Sky Sports, Solhekol said: “There have been lots of stories, I’ve seen stories linking him with Liverpool in the past, with Arsenal as well, but the numbers involved to be able to sign and satisfy a player like Mbappe are astronomical.
"He earns about £2million-a-week, how many clubs in the Premier League are there who could afford to pay him? I think his signing-on fee, loyalty bonuses - you’re talking about £100million for that as well.”
PSG are said to be demanding a transfer fee in the region of £180million for Mbappe this sumemr despite him now in the final year of his contract. The French club may soften their stance given that they do not want to lose the 24-year-old on a free transfer next summer - but they still want to recoup a huge amount of the £165million price they paid to sign him from Monaco in 2017.
Therefore, say if Arsenal wanted to sign Mbappe on a three-year contract this summer, it could cost the Gunners in the region of £490million including transfer fee and player wages. Not only that, but it would see Mbappe be paid nearly £1.3million-a-week more than the likes of Bukayo Saka and Co.
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