Wenger: I went to Mbappe's house to try to sign him

Monaco and France striker Kylian Mbappe

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says he went as far as visiting Kylian Mbappe's house in a bid to tempt him to join the Gunners.

Top sides from across Europe have been linked with the Monaco sensation after a season in which he has scored 24 goals in 39 appearances in all competitions.

Wenger has compared the 18-year-old to Arsenal's record goalscorer Thierry Henry and admitted his side have long been tracking Mbappe's development.

The 67-year-old has now claimed the Gunners were very close to signing the striker before he opted to stay at Monaco.

"The player would tell you that I was at his home last year to try to get him here," Wenger told beIN Sports. "Because he was at the end of [his] contract but Monaco managed to keep him and the decision was very, very tight. 

"But I could understand it as well because he was educated there and at the end decided to stay there."