Ex-Arsenal scout reveals how rivals Tottenham played huge role in Gunners missing out on Kylian Mbappe transfer in 2016
A FORMER Arsenal scout has revealed Tottenham played a huge role in the Gunners missing out on Kylian Mbappe.
Arsenal have long been admirers of the superstar and tried to sign him in 2016 while he was still at Monaco and a relative unknown prodigy.
Aged just 17 at the time, Mbappe was a key target for Arsenal, with former scout Gilles Grimandi revealing the club held talks with the Frenchman about joining.
Mbappe visited the Arsenal training ground alongside his parents, with Arsene Wenger also paying the youngster a visit in his hometown.
But the deal never came to fruition – partly because of bad timing as key figures at the club were preoccupied with the small matter of a North London derby against Spurs in March 2016.
Grimandi exclusively told Ladbrokes Fanzone: “We tried to convince him before.
“We met his parents in London who came to the training ground and alongside Arsene and Richard Law we travelled to meet Kylian in the South of France.
“We tried to convince him, but I don’t think it was the best time for us; that meeting took place the day after we’d just lost to Swansea at home in the league, which itself followed a defeat at Old Trafford and I remember we had a big game away just three days later against Tottenham, so the timing was not ideal.
“We tried, and I really don’t think we were far from getting him, but he declined the project and signed a new deal with Monaco.”
Grimandi had previously tried to sign Mbappe when he was just 14-years-old, but was unable to convince the now PSG star to join.
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Mbappe later reaveled he was tempted to move to the Emirates to play for Wenger, but ultimately decided remaining in France was his best option.
He said: “I met with Arsene Wenger, who is a great coach. He has a great reputation here in France, he’s well-respected and knows how to develop young players. This was a real option for me.
“We weighed up the advantages and disadvantages of all the clubs but my family told me it had to be my decision and one I needed to make.
“It also had to be a long-term decision. So it was up to me and I decided to come here in order to develop.”
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