Paul Merson questions why Arsenal didn’t sign 18-year-old in £150m deal
The Arsenal legend wanted Arsene Wenger to sign French sensation Kylian Mbappe in the summer
Paul Merson believes Arsenal had the funds to sign Kylian Mbappe in a £150m deal in the summer transfer window.
The Gunners were linked with a move to sign the Monaco teenager but the north London side failed to make their interest concrete.
Indeed, Arsenal legend Robert Pires tipped Mbappe to move to the Emirates Stadium but the France international opted to remain in Ligue 1.
Paris Saint-Germain managed to agree a season-long loan deal with Monaco for Mbappe with view to a permanent deal next summer.
The Parisian club will spend €180m on Mbappe at the end of the 2017-18 campaign to make him the most expensive teenager in the world.
Arsenal were also linked with a last-ditch £92m bid to sign Mbappe’s former Monaco team-mate Thomas Lemar but the French forward snubbed the Gunners.
Former England midfielder Merson questioned Wenger’s failure to sign Mbappe in the last transfer window given the funds available to the Frenchman.
“Arsenal could have bought Mbappe for £150m [last summer]. They’ve got the money,” Merson told Sky Sports.
Mbappe has scored six goals and made five assists in 15 appearances in all competitions in the 2017-18 season so far.
The teenager netted 16 times in 28 games last term to help Monaco beat PSG to the Ligue 1 title.
Arsenal are in fifth place in the Premier League table.
