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 in the campaign and heading to Italy to spend time with his model girlfriend while his team-mates faltered on the pitch.
This reached a head when an online 'Mbappe out' petition amassed over 70million 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 team-mates and scores vital goals to edge the Gunners towards a potentially historic double.
There are whispers that Mbappe could even be on the market this summer - but Arsenal would be sensible to steer clear. 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 No.9 to finally get the club over the line.
To understand the magnitude of this shift, one must appreciate the historical context. For over a decade, Arsenal fans dreamed of a world-class striker who could replicate the feats of Ian Wright or Henry. The club's failure to land top targets often left them settling for second best, and the Mbappe saga became a symbol of their inability to compete with Europe's elite. But under Arteta's stewardship, the club has rebuilt its identity around youth, teamwork, and tactical discipline. The arrival of Gyokeres last summer was initially met with skepticism—many saw him as a gamble from the Championship—but his relentless work rate and growing goal tally have won over the doubters.
Meanwhile, Mbappe's career trajectory has taken a downturn. His time at PSG was marked by internal power struggles, a bloated wage bill, and repeated Champions League failures. When he finally moved to Real Madrid, many expected him to dominate La Liga and the European stage, but instead, he has become a divisive figure. His decision to prioritize personal brand over team success, coupled with a string of injuries, has alienated teammates and fans alike. In contrast, Gyokeres has embraced the underdog role, consistently tracking back, pressing defenders, and creating chances for others. His selflessness has become a cornerstone of Arsenal's resurgence.
The statistics tell a compelling story. In the current Premier League season, Gyokeres has scored 18 goals and provided 9 assists in 34 appearances, while Mbappe has managed 22 goals and 4 assists in 30 games for Madrid. However, Gyokeres's contributions extend beyond numbers—his defensive work rate tops among strikers in the league, with over 1.5 tackles per game. Mbappe, by comparison, averages less than 0.5 tackles. This disparity highlights the philosophical difference between the two players: one plays for the team, the other for himself.
Off the pitch, Gyokeres has become a fan favorite at the Emirates. His humble demeanor and willingness to take pay cuts to facilitate squad harmony contrast sharply with Mbappe's reported demands for a massive contract and creative control over team decisions. Arteta has built a culture where players are expected to buy into the system, and Gyokeres is the embodiment of that ethos. His partnership with Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard has flourished, and the trio's understanding has been pivotal in Arsenal's push for silverware.
The upcoming Champions League final presents an opportunity for Arsenal to cement their revival. If they win, it will be a testament to the collective strength Arteta has instilled. Mbappe, watching from Madrid, might reflect on what could have been had he chosen a different path. For Arsenal, the lesson is clear: sometimes the dream signing is not the one you chase, but the one that arrives when the club's culture is right. The Gunners no longer need Mbappe because they have found something more valuable—a striker who fits the puzzle perfectly.
Source:Daily Mirror News