Arsenal: Robert Pires Either Prophesying Or Clowning

Arsenal were seemingly ruled out of the Kylian Mbappe transfer chase, but now the legendary Robert Pires wants to say otherwise. Is he a prophet or a clown?

It’s not everyday that a young man is nearly unanimously dubbed “the next Thierry Henry” but Arsenal target Kylian Mbappe seems pretty well set. He has already made people forget that Anthony Martial was the first “next Thierry Henry” because he has been so much better.

Naturally, everyone wants him. Which, naturally, means Arsene Wenger does too. Wenger openly admitted that he was pursuing the young Frenchman but also said that he expected that his club was already priced out of the pursuit.

Which seems like a really deflating way to bow out of such a vital transfer battle. Calling it to a close just after admitting that you are watching him and after admitting to being very interested last summer.

It’s hard to believe that Wenger would just up and end all hopes of Mbappe coming to North London, but maybe he has something up his sleeve. Or maybe he is just preparing us.

But not so fast. Just as we were all kicking rocks and pouting that no Mbappe would be coming to town, one man has stepped up and said that Wenger would indeed sign the young phenom. And that one man is Robert Pires, Arsenal legend.

Take it away, you Invincible, you:

"I do think Arsenal will sign him. The problem is how much. Mbappe has the potential to play for Arsenal and Wenger is the right manager to manage him.[They] are very similar in clubs, so it won’t be much of a transition."

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Those are his words, as quoted by the Daily Mail.

Pretty affirmative. This is no ‘I hope they sign him’ or ‘they really should sign him’, this is a full blown ‘I think they will sign him’.

Pires has never been a blowhard, so I don’t see why he’d have a vendetta to become one now, but I wish to know what he knows. Is he a prophet foretelling the future of the club or a clown hoping for attention?

Like I said, I have never seen Pires play that part of the latter. He’s very level-headed and knows what he is talking about. It’s just a dangerous game he’s playing. Mbappe would be the signing of the decade, no matter the cost. He would build the front line of the Gunners for the next ten to fifteen years if he doesn’t pull an Anelka.

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And if Pires is wrong, well, I’ll be right here scowling at him, wishing that he had been more of a prophet. But until that time comes to pass, I’ll go ahead and restore some of my faith in the pursuit of Mbappe.

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