Arsenal icon Alan Smith has warned Mikel Arteta over making a move to sign Paris Saint-Germain superstar Kylian Mbappe. The French striker has just 12 months left on his current deal and has informed PSG that he will not be activating his option to extend the contract by a further year.
PSG are desperate to not lose the France international on a free transfer next year and have made it clear to the 24-year-old that he either signs a new deal or gets sold this summer. Real Madrid are tipped to be the most likely destination for the French striker, but a report from the Independent has revealed that Mbappe would prefer a move to Arsenal if he joins the Premier League.
Smith has warned his old club about the perils of potentially shattering their wage structure to sign Mbappe with PSG setting a reported £180million asking price. 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.
"I would be very surprised if they were to smash that with the signing of Mbappe, as great as it would be to have him because he is one of the best players in the world. I don’t think it’s very likely."
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PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi told a press conference last week: "My position is very clear and I will not repeat it every time. We want Kylian to stay, but if he wants to stay, we want him to sign a new contract.
"We don’t want to let the best player in the world go for free, it’s impossible. PSG is a French club, it’s his city, and he’s already said he doesn’t want to leave for free.
"If today someone made him change his mind, it’s not my fault. I’ll say it again, we won’t let one of the best players in the world go for free, that’s very clear. I will not repeat."
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