France superstar Kylian Mbappe has now revealed a touching childhood connection he shares with one Arsenal player.
Kylian Mbappe and Arsenal defender William Saliba go back a long way.
Both players will feature for France at this summer’s Euros tournament, with Mbappe captaining the team.
Saliba, meanwhile, will be hoping to prove his worth to manager Didier Deschamps and earn a starting berth for Les Bleus. Deschamps has been critical of Saliba in the past, and the Arsenal man will not go into the competition at the top of the pecking order.
Many Arsenal fans will find it hard to believe that the 23-year-old does not enjoy a starring role for his country. After all, Saliba was a colossus in the Premier League for Arsenal last season, as the Gunners provided the sturdiest defence in the top flight of English football. Mikel Arteta certainly doesn’t seem to have any doubts about the centre-back’s ability.
However, whilst Saliba seemingly has plenty to prove to Deschamps, he already has Mbappe on his side. The 25-year-old attacker, who recently agreed to join Real Madrid ahead of the new domestic season, is clearly a huge fan of what his compatriot brings to the team. He also knows Saliba well due to their long-standing connection.
Kylian Mbappe reveals childhood links with Arsenal star William Saliba
Speaking to French publication Ouest France, Mbappe has now lifted the lid on his enduring friendship with Saliba. The 2018 World Cup winner said: “I have known him since he was very, very young. We were in the same primary school in Bondy. We played football together on our breaks, even though we weren’t in the same year, but he asked to play with us. We allowed it because he was already big!
“Then my dad trained him at AS Bondy. I am three years older than him so I saw him grow up by following his journey and his games closely. Seeing him in the national team, going from Bondy to Les Bleus, made me really happy. I tried to integrate him into the group as quickly as possible.”
The pair clearly know one another well, and Mbappe is obviously pleased to have Saliba as part of the France squad set to compete in Germany this summer.
Arsenal still ruing failure to land Mbappe
However, the pair could have been even closer had Arsene Wenger succeeded in signing Mbappe as a teenager. Failing to secure the services of the forward remains a regret for the iconic French coach. The thought of Arteta now having both players at his disposal is a tantalising one.
As it is, the Gunners are now searching for another attacker to add to their ranks. Having missed out on Benjamin Sesko, Arteta will now consider alternative targets, including a few who are also set to play at the Euros.
Arsenal players and transfer targets at Euro 2024
In this week’s episode of Cannon Fire – The Arsenal Insider Podcast, Will Jones and Rahul Lakhani discuss the European Championships. With 11 Arsenal players set to feature at the tournament, the pair debated which players could be fighting for their futures, and which are destined to succeed on the international stage.