Arsenal Transfer News Roundup: Gunners advised against Kylian Mbappe move; club have Victor Osimhen advantage, and more - February 18, 2024
Arsenal continued their siege on the Premier League with a 5-0 demolition of Burnley on Saturday (February 17). Bukayo Saka scored a brace, while Martin Odegaard, Leandro Trossard and Kai Havertz also got on the scoresheet to mark a fruitful night for Mikel Arteta.
Meanwhile, the Gunners have been advised against a move for PSG striker Kylian Mbappe. Elsewhere, the north London side have an advantage in the race to sign Napoli striker Victor Osimhen.
On that note, here's a look at the key Arsenal transfer stories as on February 18, 2024:
Arsenal advised against Kylian Mbappe move
Former Liverpool striker Stan Collymore has advised Arsenal against a move for Kylian Mbappe.
The French superstar is apparently set to leave Paris Saint-Germain at the end of this season, with Real Madrid close to securing his services. Recent reports have mentioned the Gunners and the Reds as interested parties in the race.
However, in his column for Caught Offside, Collymore said that Mbappe’s arrival could adversely affect the dressing room at both clubs.
“I can see Liverpool or Arsenal trying to get involved in the race but my advice to them would be to stay away from Mbappe.
"The French star is a great player but he will demolish their wage structure, and not only that, the temptation to push the boat out for him will always be there, which could have a ripple effect across the whole dressing room,” wrote Collymore.
Collymore also questioned whether Mbappe would actually improve the north London side.
“Arsenal have a fragile ecosystem built around young players who are all on this journey of getting the Gunners back to the top together.
"There are no superstar names in that dressing room but they could be in the future,” wrote Collymore.
He continued:
“Mbappe had a lot of power at PSG, which was evident over the last few years. That doesn’t just go away, and I worry that it could affect this current Arsenal squad if the French star tried to flex his status again in North London.
"The PSG star would undoubtedly score plenty of goals but would he make the team better?”
Mbappe has agreed to move to the Santiago Bernabeu on a Bosman move this summer, according to journalist Matteo Moretto.
Gunners have Victor Osimhen advantage
Arsenal’s involvement in the Champions League could make them favourites in the race for Victor Osimhen, according to Gazzetta dello Sport.
The Nigerian hitman has been outstanding for Napoli recently and has already turned heads at clubs across the continent. PSG are reportedly eyeing him as a replacement for Kylian Mbappe.
However, Osimhen dreams of playing in the Premier League and apparently wants to join Chelsea to follow in the footsteps of his idol Didier Drogba.
Interestingly, the lack of UEFA Champions League football at Stamford Bridge – with the team miles away from the top four this season – could pose a problem.
The Gunners also have their eyes on Osimhen as a solution to their No. 9 conundrum and could offer the player an alternate destination in England.
The north London side are heavily involved in the title race this year and are almost certain to play in Europe next season.
However, they will have to trigger the player’s €130 million release clause and also offer him a significant raise on his €10 million-a-year current wages.
Arsenal remain in Pedro Neto chase
Arsenal remain eager to bring Pedro Neto to the Emirates, according to talkSPORT.
The Portuguese forward has been very impressive for Wolverhampton Wanderers this season, registering three goals and 11 assists in 19 outings across competitions.
His efforts have already turned heads at the Emirates, where Arteta is planning attacking reinforcements for the summer.
Neto has been identified as the ideal candidate to share the workload with Bukayo Saka but is also wanted at Tottenham Hotspur.
However, the Gunners could have the upper hand in negotiations, as sporting director Edu has a close relationship with the Neto's agent Jorge Mendes. The Midlands club are likely to let him leave for £60 million.