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Arsenal fans love Saka, but some would swap him for Mbappe as Arteta eyes him up

talksport.com, 16 February 2024, 23:00
Arsenal fan Darren Bent has begrudgingly admitted that he'd swap Bukayo Saka if it meant signing Kylian Mbappe for Arsenal.

The former Premier League striker is an avid Gunners supporter and was discussing a possible move for the French forward.

It comes after news emerged that Mbappe has communicated his desire to leave Paris Saint-Germain this summer upon the expiry of his contract.

Mikel Arteta publicly opened the door to Mbappe joining Arsenal in his press conference on Friday to give fans hope of a stunning transfer.

He said: "When there is a player of that calibre, we always have to be in that conversation.

"But it looks in a different way, that's what I would say."

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Mbappe's current deal is worth an estimated £200million-per-year, meaning that any club will need to break the bank in order to tempt the French superstar to their club.

Real Madrid remain frontrunners, but in a game of 'swap shop', talkSPORT co-host and ex-Tottenham striker Bent was quizzed on what it would take to get Mbappe to the Emirates.

Asked if he'd swap Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard if it meant signing Mbappe, Bent remarked: "No, I'm not swapping both of them. I'd give one of them and another player."

Andy Goldstein then suggested Saka and Gabriel Jesus, to which Bent declared: "Yeah, I'd do that.

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"You'd have a centre-forward who was going to smash goals in and he can play on that right-hand side as well.

"I'm not giving up Saka and Odegaard. I'd give up Gabriel Jesus and Odegaard, or Gabriel Jesus and Saka.

Ally McCoist thinks Arsenal should steer clear of potentially signing Kylian Mbappe as they would not win the title with him the PSG star

"That pains me because Saka, an academy graduate, but you are talking about arguably the best player on the planet and he's not old, he's young."

Bent added: "I love Mbappe. I'd play him down the middle but he's versatile which is what I like - he can play on either flank."

In a rallying cry for the north London giants to sign Mbappe, he then stated: "To my beloved Arsenal, I stand before you with a burning desire, a plea echoing from the depth of my soul - you must sign Kylian Mbappe.

"Imagine the Emirates Stadium pulsating with anticipation as Mbappe - the maestro of magic - graces our hallowed turf.

"His blistering pace, dazzling skill and ice-cold finishing would electrify our hearts and redefine our destiny.

"In him, we see shades of Thierry Henry, our mortal king, whose artistry once painted the Premier League red and white.

"For too long we have yearned for a hero, a talisman, to lead us back to glory, Mbappe is that hero.

"His arrival would not only signal a transfer, but a seismic shift, a declaration of intent, a promise of resurgence.

"In the crucible - the Premier League - Mbappe's brilliance would shine the brightest, his every touch would be poetry, his every goal a symphony of triumph.

"With him, we would dare to dream again, to believe in the impossible. So let us rise, let us unite in one voice, one passion, one fervent cry, Kylian Mbappe, come to Arsenal!

"Together, we will script the story of redemption, of glory reborn, this is our moment, our destiny, let us seize it with unwavering resolve, for Arsenal, for glory, for Mbappe!"

Since joining Paris Saint-Germain from Monaco in 2017, Mbappe has become one of the world's top stars.

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Making 290 appearances for the club, the 25-year-old has scored 243 goals and provided 105 assists for his teammates.

So far this term, he's scored 31 goals in 30 appearances for the French giants.

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