Arsenal's vengeance comes off the pitch: Gunners eye PSG's jewel
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Reading Time: 2min | Sat. 06.06.26. | 17:59
The North London side is hoping to strike gold with the captain of the Parisians’ U-18 team, just as it once did with William Saliba, who arrived at the Emirates Stadium at the same age seven years ago from Saint-Etienne
A new William Saliba in the making at Arsenal, or simply the Gunners' revenge on Paris Saint-Germain?
The Parisians handed a painful defeat to the North London club in the recent Champions League final, and now the losing side could strike back away from the pitch - by stealing one of the rivals' brightest prospects.
According to Le Parisien, Arsenal are highly interested in PSG's 18-year-old defender, Emmanuel Mbemba, the captain of their U-18 team, whose youth contract with the European champions is set to expire in 24 days. Their offer of a professional contract is on the table, but the left-back may choose a different path.
That's where the Gunners come into the picture. They have reportedly scouted Mbemba several times and are hoping to hit the jackpot just as they did seven years ago when they signed then-18-year-old William Saliba from Saint-Etienne, pulling off one of the best transfers in the last two decades.
Still, if the teenager doesn't want to go far from home, he could simply move across the street and replace Parc des Princes with Paris FC's Stade Jean-Bouin, as the smaller club from the capital is also keen on signing him.
The main obstacle to Mbemba's potential move to London is that he'd have to play elsewhere first, as he currently does not have enough points to qualify for a work permit in England.
Now, it's only up to him and his patience. Saliba spent three years on loan at Saint-Etienne, Nice, and Olympique Marseille before finally breaking into Mikel Arteta's team, and is now one of the first names on the team sheet for the newly crowned Premier League champions.
The question is: is Mbemba willing to make the same sacrifice and bide his time?