Bukayo Saka was magnificent for Arsenal during the start of the 2022/2023 campaign as the youngster played a major part in Arsenal's early title charge.
football.london [understand the Gunners have activated a one-year extension option in his deal to take his stay until 2024 at the earliest](https://www.football.london/arsenal-fc/news/arsenal-bukayo-saka-contract-extension-25876983), while talks are progressing positively over a new contract. If he continues to match Mbappe's statistics then it is a surety that more goals will come his way. Saka has recorded 98 progressive carries in the league this season. Bukayo Saka was magnificent for Arsenal during the start of the 2022/2023 campaign as the youngster played a major part in Arsenal’s early title charge. The winger has matched Kylian Mbappe's levels of attacking intent so far in this campaign. The academy graduate is also in the top five for appearances made for Arsenal before turning 20, meaning he is above Arsenal legends such as David Rocastle and Liam Brady, and has been used more than any other player by Mikel Arteta since he took charge of the team in 2019, highlighting his importance to the side.
Former Arsenal scout Gilles Grimandi has claimed the Gunners were on the trail of Kylian Mbappe in 2013, but failed to beat Monaco to his signature.
However, he is currently nursing an injury and is [expected to miss the first leg of PSG's Champions League last 16 tie ](https://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/kylian-mbappe-to-miss-psg-champions-league-round-of-16-tie-against-bayern-thigh-injury/blt17b8c1438abface9)against Bayern Munich. That’s why it is important to stay at the top for as long as possible. In that time, Arsenal have laboured and stagnated in the Premier League, but this season find themselves top of the table and are strongly contending for their first title in almost 20 years. If we could have convinced him to join, he would have changed the club — but he then decided on Monaco." But according to Grimandi, he could've been wearing an Arsenal shirt at one point, as the club held talks with the player before he joined Monaco's academy ranks. Grimandi, who worked as an Arsenal scout for 13 years, has made a major claim that the club were chasing a young Mbappe long before his ascent to superstardom.
Former Arsenal defender and scout Gilles Grimandi reveals the club tried but failed to convince Kylian Mbappe to join the club in 2013 - prior to him ...
That’s why it is important to stay at the top for as long as possible. At first it was easy, as soon as we talked to a player he wanted to sign it. "He was out of contract in June 2013 and we met him in February. [here](https://open.spotify.com/episode/7Mf2vB5xoElB9IDisrkF8X?si=OjtD6-99QZK_2j_RCZctvA) to listen to the podcast! If you can't see this embed, click [sign](https://www.90min.com/categories/transfer) Kylian Mbappe in 2013 has been revealed by a former member of the club's scouting team.
Grimandi looked to strike a deal for Mbappe when the forward was just 14 and playing for AS Bondy, but he eventually elected to move to Monaco instead.
Arsenal also tried to sign Mbappe in 2016, with Arsene Wenger visiting his house, but PSG ended up finalising a deal. and says a transfer looked 'easy' at one stage It is so much easier. 'He was out of contract in June 2013 and we met him in February. 'Arsenal were not always playing their best so it was quite complicated. [ The Sun: ](https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/21311757/arsenal-mbappe-transfer/)'The job of scouting is about finding but also missing players.
Arsenal have made a habit of missing out on future superstars and the latest appears to be Kylian Mbappe.There has been an almost endless list of glob.
Get up to £40 in free bets on selected events. £20) on selected events at odds of 2.00+, in 7 days. “Arsenal were not always playing their best so it was quite complicated. Bonuses expire in 7 days. It is so much easier. [Arsenal](https://talksport.com/sport/football/team/113203/arsenal/) missed out on [Mbappe](https://talksport.com/who/kylian-mbappe/) when he was a teenager.
Arsenal were on the verge of signing Kylian Mbappe as a teenager before his career-making move to Monaco, only for the Gunners' underwhelming form to ...
Let us know in the However, if you are not getting results it is difficult to bring top players to help the team. It is so much easier." [comments section](https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/arsenal-missed-out-mbappe-transfer-29164701#comments-section) below. "[Mbappe] was out of contract in June 2013 and we met him in February. [Europe's most valuable XI of under-21 players in 2015 - and where they are now](https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/europe-most-valuable-xi-2015-29152728)
Ex-Arsenal scout Gilles Grimandi has revealed how close the Gunners came signing Paris-Saint Germain superstar Kylian Mbappe as a teenager.
[check our sport page](https://metro.co.uk/sport/). It is so much easier. ‘Arsenal were not always playing their best so it was quite complicated. ‘He was out of contract in June 2013 and we met him in February. For me, it is Kylian Mbappe. ‘The job of scouting is about finding but also missing players. [Arsenal consider cashing in on Folarin Balogun despite his incredible goalscoring form](https://metro.co.uk/2023/02/07/arsenal-consider-folarin-balogun-sale-despite-his-ligue-1-purple-patch-18240267/?ico=more_text_links) [Former Arsenal scout reveals why club failed to sign Jude Bellingham](https://metro.co.uk/2023/02/06/former-arsenal-scout-reveals-why-club-failed-to-sign-jude-bellingham-18231771/?ico=more_text_links) [The Sun](https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/21311757/arsenal-mbappe-transfer/). [World Cup](https://metro.co.uk/tag/world-cup/?ico=auto_link_sport_P4_LNK1), while he won the Golden Boot four years later [as they finished as runners-up to Argentina](https://metro.co.uk/2022/12/18/world-cup-final-2022-player-ratings-revealed-as-argentina-beat-france-17957689/) [i](https://metro.co.uk/2022/12/18/world-cup-final-2022-player-ratings-revealed-as-argentina-beat-france-17957689/) [n](https://metro.co.uk/2022/12/18/world-cup-final-2022-player-ratings-revealed-as-argentina-beat-france-17957689/) [Q](https://metro.co.uk/2022/12/18/world-cup-final-2022-player-ratings-revealed-as-argentina-beat-france-17957689/) [a](https://metro.co.uk/2022/12/18/world-cup-final-2022-player-ratings-revealed-as-argentina-beat-france-17957689/) [t](https://metro.co.uk/2022/12/18/world-cup-final-2022-player-ratings-revealed-as-argentina-beat-france-17957689/) [a](https://metro.co.uk/2022/12/18/world-cup-final-2022-player-ratings-revealed-as-argentina-beat-france-17957689/) [r](https://metro.co.uk/2022/12/18/world-cup-final-2022-player-ratings-revealed-as-argentina-beat-france-17957689/) [, despite his hat-trick in the final](https://metro.co.uk/2022/12/18/world-cup-final-2022-player-ratings-revealed-as-argentina-beat-france-17957689/). [Privacy Policy](https://metro.co.uk/privacypolicy/) [Arsenal](https://metro.co.uk/tag/arsenal-fc/) scout Gilles Grimandi has revealed how close the Gunners came signing Paris-Saint Germain superstar [Kylian Mbappe](https://metro.co.uk/tag/kylian-mbappe/?ico=auto_link_sport_P1_LNK1) as a teenager.
FORMER Arsenal scout Gilles Grimandi revealed the club came close to signing Kylian Mbappe when he was a teenager.The Frenchman, 52, played for the Gu.
“He was out of contract in June 2013 and we met him in February. It is so much easier. “Arsenal were not always playing their best so it was quite complicated. He told SunSport: “The job of scouting is about finding but also missing players. For me, it is Kylian Mbappe. [Arsenal](https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/team/1196653/arsenal/)'s gradual decline in their ability to lure young talent to the squad.
Arsenal came close to securing the signature of Kylian Mbappe, before being rejected by the France international.
“That’s why it is important to stay at the top for as long as possible. If we could have convinced him to join, he would have changed the club — but he then decided on Monaco. Grimandi spent five years at Arsenal and was a key player for Arsene Wenger, with his versatility meaning that he was able to provide cover in several different departments.
Arsene Wenger came close to signing a number of superstars during his time at Arsenal, and Kylian Mbappe was one of them.
If we could have convinced him to join, he would have changed the club — but he then decided on Monaco. However, if you are not getting results it is difficult to bring top players to help the team.” “The job of scouting is about finding but also missing players,” Grimandi said. For me, it is Kylian Mbappe. [The Sun](https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/21310667/grimandi-ray-parlour-arsenal-double-arteta/) that he met Mbappe a few months before his contract expired back in 2013 and tried to sign him for Arsenal. [Arsenal](https://www.arsenalinsider.com/tag/arsenal/), spent close to 14 years as a scout at our club.