France star Kylian Mbappe has said he is ‘following Arsenal from afar’ since Unai Emery’s arrival in England.
Mbappe was brought to PSG under Emery’s leadership, and capped a stunning first campaign in Paris by winning the World Cup with France last summer.
Emery, of course, left Paris at the end of the Ligue 1 season having won the league and cup double, before succeeding Arsene Wenger in the Arsenal hot-seat shortly after.
Kylian Mbappe on Unai Emery: “I do not forget that he helped me adapt to this big team, which was not easy. I have a lot of respect for this man. I sent him a congratulatory message when he signed for Arsenal & now, I am following from afar.” [France Football] #afc pic.twitter.com/2BvPUMNlyE
— afcstuff (@afcstuff) December 4, 2018
Kylian Mbappe has revealed Arsene Wenger acted as a ‘gentleman’ when he decide to reject a move to Arsenal last year.
The teenage starlet sealed a £163m transfer to PSG in 2017 after sensationally bursting onto the scene with Monaco in the Champions League.
His star continues to rise and on Monday he was awarded the Kopa Trophy, a prize for the best under 21 player in world football.
With 35 goals in 59 appearances at the Parc des Princes, Arsenal’s loss has been PSG’s gain.
But he concedes that the former Gunners boss was gracious in accepting defeat in their bid to bring him to the Premier League.
Mbappe on Arsène Wenger: “He is a real French football monument who has left Arsenal. I have not seen many people in this world being viewed in such a unanimous way. When the entirety of Europe gets on its knees in front of him to celebrate him, that certainly means something.” pic.twitter.com/Edy3ACkbBw
— afcstuff (@afcstuff) December 4, 2018
‘I have not seen many people in this world being viewed in such a unanimous way’, he told France Football.
‘When the entirety of Europe gets on its knees in front of him to celebrate him, that certainly means something.
‘A little while ago, before I signed for PSG, we were in contact in 2017. I chose a different direction but he wasn’t annoyed at me. ‘
Had he made the move to the Emirates he would be playing under his former boss in Paris, Unai Emery.