Kylian Mbappe to Arsenal? Ornstein reveals why he’s Arteta’s ‘dream’ signing

Kylian Mbappe would be Mikel Arteta’s ultimate transfer target if Arsenal had an unlimited budget next year, David Ornstein has revealed.

In an interview with our friends over at Planet Football, Ornstein was asked to name the dream signing for each of the ‘big six’ – if money was not an object. When asked about Arsenal, the journalist said: “Mbappe, it’s not about who they will sign, but who I think would fit in nicely.”

It is no surprise that Arteta dreams of making Mbappe his new striker. The France captain is widely regarded as the best player in the world, having developed a fearsome reputation at Paris Saint-Germain before joining Real Madrid in a blockbuster free transfer in summer 2024.

Kylian Mbappe: An outstanding goalscorer

• Has scored four times in World Cup finals, netting in France’s 2018 triumph
• Is PSG’s all-time record scorer with 256 goals in 308 matches
• Has already found the back of the net 60 times in just 72 Madrid games

Arsenal spent £64million (€73m / $84m) to make Viktor Gyokeres their new centre-forward in July, but Mbappe would be a clear upgrade.

Mbappe can cause two centre-backs nightmares on his own, as he has breathtaking pace and is a deadly finisher.

The 26-year-old has started the campaign in clinical fashion, as he already has a five-goal lead at the top of LaLiga’s scoring charts.

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Arsenal could be future contenders for Madrid raid

Mbappe appears to have a soft spot for Arsenal. The Independent have previously reported that Arsenal would be his top choice if he ever left Madrid to move to the Premier League.

Plus, Mbappe recently backed Arsenal to win the Premier League title ahead of Liverpool and Manchester City.

Ornstein is one of the most reliable transfer reporters around, so his claim about Arteta wanting to sign Mbappe for Arsenal is pretty much nailed on to be true.

Although, that is part of the game – it is simply a ‘dream’. Arsenal know it will be incredibly tough to prise Mbappe away from Madrid as he always wanted to emulate his idol Cristiano Ronaldo.

Madrid would have to endure a severe downfall for Mbappe to even consider leaving.

Liverpool would likely be Arsenal’s main competitors if the World Cup winner decided to move to England. Liverpool have been strongly linked with Mbappe in the past, while he sees the Reds as one of the biggest clubs around.

Arsenal got the best and most exciting answer out of Ornstein. For Chelsea, he picked a shock potential return for Thibaut Courtois, while naming Marc Guehi as Liverpool’s No 1 target.

Manchester City got Rodrygo and Manchester United got Carlos Baleba – you can find out which player Ornstein selected for Tottenham Hotspur here.

A look into Mbappe’s future

If Mbappe’s trajectory continues then he is likely to fire Madrid to multiple Champions League and LaLiga titles.

Mbappe is expected to win one Ballon d’Or at the very least. But he will have to go on an insane run to match Ronaldo’s tally of five, or to get anywhere near Lionel Messi’s mind-blowing record of eight.

Mbappe’s contract with Madrid runs until June 2029 and is designed to keep him at the Bernabeu for most of his peak years.

The only time a club such as Arsenal or Liverpool may be able to get him is in the latter stages of his career. And Madrid could look to stop even that from happening by giving him a lucrative contract extension.

Sadly, we might not ever get to see Mbappe starring in the Premier League.