Arsenal Transfer News: Kylian Mbappe Reveals Talks, Olivier Giroud Rumours

Teenage sensation Kylian Mbappe has admitted he considered joining Arsenal before making a loan switch to Paris Saint-Germain from Monaco.

According to Tom Olver of Metro, the France international said Arsenal wanted to bring him to the Premier League, and Gunners manager Arsene Wenger discussed a potential transfer with him.

Mbappe said:

"Yes, I met with Arsene Wenger, who is a great coach. He has a great reputation here in France, he’s well-respected and knows how to develop young players.

"This was a real option for me. But, of course, Paris Saint-Germain was the main option.

"We weighed up the advantages and disadvantages of all the clubs but my family told me it had to be my decision and one I needed to make. It also had to be a long-term decision. So it was up to me and I decided to come here in order to develop."

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Per Olver, Mbappe also commented on his positive experiences on trial with Chelsea as an 11-year-old, giving him motivation to play at the top level years later.

"It was a wonderful experience," said Mbappe. "Chelsea was the first great club, the first big club, that I went to visit. So it was a real discovery for me. I was coming from my grassroots, amateur club. It was a whole new world."

The player could complete a £165 miliion transfer to PSG after his season-long loan in the French capital is completed, per Olver.

In other Gunners news, Patrice Evra has said Olivier Giroud turned down the chance to join him at Marseille in order to stay at Arsenal.

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Speaking to La Provence (h/t Metro's Olver), the former Manchester United and Juventus defender said the big striker almost moved to the south of France, with Everton and Lyon also vying for his services.

Evra commented:

"Olivier was contacted, it was his choice. You cannot force people to come to Marseille so I can not be disappointed, I do the best job in the world.

"A player must not be concerned about the market, he must be irreproachable on the ground.

"The rest belongs to the management. When I hear a player say 'we are going to sign this player,' I tell him to stop."

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Giroud continues to offer Wenger a strong option from the bench, relieving the pressure on new signing Alexandre Lacazette.

The player recently admitted he knew of the interest of the Ligue 1 giants, per Olver.

"I was flattered to have been courted by Marseille and Lyon," said Giroud. "Since I was a little boy I've been a fan of Marseille. They have a great project. They tried to convince me on the phone. I told Rudi Garcia that it was not my goal to return to France."

Mbappe would have been a stellar signing for the Gunners, capturing the hottest young talent on the planet as they rebuild after a poor season.

However, the experience and strike rate of Lacazette make him an able purchase, and the player is a predator in the No. 9 position.

The biggest disappointment for Arsenal fans is the club did not add a world-class centre-back to their starting XI, and that failure could prove costly as the season progresses.