"He has already overtaken me" – Arsenal legend Thierry Henry makes incredible Kylian Mbappe admission
Arsenal legend Thierry Henry has claimed that Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) forward Kylian Mbappe has already surpassed him as a footballer.
Henry, who spent eight years at the Gunners between 1999 and 2007, is regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all-time. He helped France lift one FIFA World Cup and one UEFA Euro crown, registering 51 goals and 30 assists in 123 games for his national team.
At club level, Henry helped Arsenal, Barcelona, and AS Monaco lift a combined 14 trophies, including five league titles. He scored 305 goals and provided 133 assists in 639 joint games for the aforesaid three clubs.
During a recent chat with Le Parisien, Henry was queried to share his two cents on Mbappe and his potential future destination after leaving PSG this June. He replied (h/t TBR):
"Kylian will be good wherever he goes. We're talking about a monster here. Let's be happy that he is French. Kylian, everyone envies us. Every time I am abroad, people say to me: 'How lucky you French are to have a player like him'."
Claiming Mbappe to be a better player than himself, Henry concluded:
"He has already overtaken me! It's already done. Kylian is already in the future and that's good anyway because it's France, it's our football and we need this guy who represents us kind of everywhere. Kylian is extraordinary. He's mad."
Mbappe, who guided France to the 2018 FIFA World Cup glory, has contributed 46 goals and 30 assists in 75 outings for Les Bleus so far. The 25-year-old has netted 277 goals and registered 122 assists in a combined 357 appearances for PSG and AS Monaco so far.
Despite being linked with the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool, Mbappe will reportedly join Real Madrid on a free transfer this summer. He is set to pen a five-year deal at the La Liga club, earning £13 million-a-season.
Arsenal aiming to sign French midfielder
According to TuttoJuve.com, Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot has decided to run down his current contract and leave on a free transfer at the end of the season. He has drawn interest from a host of teams with Arsenal and Newcastle United also in the transfer race.
Rabiot, who was reportedly linked with Manchester United in 2022, penned a one-year extension at Juventus past season. However, the Paris Saint-Germain youth product is looking for a new adventure now.
Since arriving on a Bosman move in 2019, Rabiot has made 201 appearances for Juventus. The 28-year-old midfielder has recorded 21 goals and 15 assists for his current club, helping them lift three trophies.