There was a time when virtually every club in world football would have jumped at the chance to secure Kylian Mbappe's signature. For Arsenal supporters particularly, there has long been an allure surrounding the Frenchman, prompting some of the more optimistic corners of the fanbase to ask 'What if we signed him?'
Perhaps it stems from the fact Mbappe remains the closest thing football has seen to a Thierry Henry successor since the King of Highbury retired in 2014. The two Frenchmen share several parallels, including growing up in Parisian suburbs, blistering speed, dazzling skills, enjoying World Cup glory early in their careers, and carrying an undeniable aura on the field.
Mbappe was raised in Bondy idolising the Arsenal legend, having confessed to watching 'everything Henry did.' What proved even more fascinating to Gunners fans everywhere was the widely-shared photograph of a young Mbappe wearing Arsenal's 2003/04 yellow kit, with Henry's name and iconic No.14 on the back.
He came closer than most are aware to becoming an Arsenal player in the summer of 2016. Then-manager Arsene Wenger famously travelled to his home in France while he was still at Monaco in a bid to persuade him to move to N5 following a 26-goal breakthrough campaign. But the teenage prodigy stayed at Monaco for another term and ended up signing for PSG the following summer, initially on loan, before sealing a £165million permanent transfer. The Gunners simply couldn't compete with PSG's financial muscle when they came back with an offer in 2017.
For years, they would lament Wenger's unsuccessful pursuit of another of Clairfontaine's most sought-after talents, watching from a distance as he shattered record after record for the Parisians while Arsenal fell out of the Champions League. However, the Mbappe dream has finally been shattered over the past 18 months - and few around the Emirates Stadium would genuinely want Mikel Arteta to bring him in now to play ahead of Viktor Gyokeres.
For years, Mbappe-led PSG failed to secure their first Champions League crown. Last term, in their first campaign without the Frenchman, Luis Enrique's side adopted a notably more team-oriented approach and won the trophy. Mbappe, in contrast, set the record for the most goals scored by a player during their debut season at his dream club, Real Madrid, but failed to secure any of the major team honours. That only reinforced the perception that the France captain played purely for himself and made his team worse overall.
That narrative has increased tenfold over the past month, with Madrid's second season without a trophy leading to a toxic circus around the club and dressing room infighting. Mbappe sits at the heart of that turmoil, having come under fire for suffering an injury at a pivotal point of the campaign and heading to Italy to spend time with his model girlfriend while his teammates faltered on the pitch. This reached a head when an online 'Mbappe out' petition amassed over 70 million signatures, although the legitimacy of those signatures is questionable. Mbappe was booed by his own fans when he made his return from injury against Real Oviedo on Thursday and became embroiled in a public row with Los Blancos manager Alvaro Arbeola, having claimed the Spaniard told him he was the fourth-choice striker at the club.
The significance for Arsenal is that the north Londoners have finally arrived at a point where they can look at Mbappe's situation at Real Madrid and view the entire saga as a dodged bullet. That's because they now have a striker in Gyokeres who can score goals and play for the badge. Arteta has led his team to this year's Champions League final and topped the Premier League table for the majority of the campaign by sticking to several core principles, which boil down to no individual being more important than the collective. The French superstar, while undeniably a superior individual talent to Gyokeres, would have ruined everything Arteta has built due to his ego.
Arteta can actually depend on £64m summer signing Gyokeres, who embodies all of his values in every moment of every match, putting his body on the line with every challenge and loose ball pursued. That same mentality has seen the Swede undergo a remarkable transformation in recent weeks, one which has seen him register five goal involvements in his last six Premier League matches. Gyokeres faced criticism and was even mocked for extended periods of the season but he never sulked or aired his grievances to the press. Despite his shortcomings, his commitment and work ethic have clearly paid off as he now fluidly links up with teammates and scores vital goals to edge the Gunners towards a potentially historic double.
The contrast between Mbappe and Gyokeres extends beyond on-pitch performance. Mbappe's career has been marked by controversies over playing time, wages, and tactical freedom. At PSG, he was frequently involved in power struggles with Neymar and the club's hierarchy, often demanding a central role that disrupted the team's balance. His move to Real Madrid was supposed to be the crowning moment of his career, but instead it has exposed further flaws. Despite scoring 33 goals across all competitions in his debut season for Los Blancos, the team's trophy cabinet remained empty. Injuries and internal strife have plagued the club, with Mbappe reportedly at odds with teammates and coaching staff. His decision to holiday in Italy during a critical phase of the season drew sharp criticism, and the subsequent petition against him highlighted the depth of frustration among Madridistas.
Arsenal, meanwhile, has built a squad that prioritises harmony and selflessness. Arteta's system demands that even star attackers track back and press relentlessly. Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, and Gabriel Martinelli set the tone, and Gyokeres has adapted to this ethos seamlessly. The Swedish striker's journey to becoming Arsenal's first-choice number nine has been remarkable. After a slow start following his £64m move from Sporting CP, Gyokeres faced scrutiny for missed chances and a lack of link-up play. However, Arteta persisted with him, and the investment is now paying dividends. In a recent North London derby, Gyokeres scored a brace and provided an assist, demonstrating the clinical finishing and selfless movement that have made him indispensable.
The broader context is that Arsenal has transformed from a club that once chased expensive superstars to one that develops its own talent and finds value in the market. The squad assembled by Arteta and sporting director Edu is young, hungry, and collectively stronger than the sum of its parts. Players like William Saliba, Declan Rice, and Odegaard have become leaders, while youngsters such as Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly provide depth. The idea of integrating a player like Mbappe, who would command enormous wages and demand special treatment, now seems antithetical to everything the club stands for.
Moreover, the Premier League has become even more competitive, with clubs like Manchester City, Liverpool, and Chelsea spending heavily. Arsenal cannot afford to risk team cohesion for the sake of a single superstar, no matter how gifted. The example of Romelu Lukaku at Chelsea or Cristiano Ronaldo at Manchester United serves as a warning: individual brilliance does not guarantee team success. Mbappe's trajectory at Real Madrid mirrors that cautionary tale, as his presence has not brought silverware but has instead generated headlines for all the wrong reasons.
There are whispers that Mbappe could even be on the market this summer - but Arsenal would be sensible to steer clear. The club's focus should remain on retaining its core, adding complementary pieces, and building on the progress of the last few years. Gyokeres, at 27, is entering his prime, and his partnership with Saka and Odegaard is flourishing. The Gunners are on the cusp of winning the Premier League and Champions League double, a feat that would have seemed unthinkable just three seasons ago. To jeopardise that momentum by chasing an expensive, ego-driven player would be a monumental mistake.
As such, it's fair to say words which were inconceivable before the turn of the year: Arsenal don't need Kylian Mbappe - Viktor Gyokeres is doing what is required of a number nine to finally get the club over the line. The dream of Mbappe has faded, but a new reality has emerged, one where the team comes first and individual brilliance is harnessed within a collective framework. For Arsenal supporters, that reality is far more satisfying than any dream could have been.
Source: Daily Mirror News