‎Mbappe and Bellingham at Arsenal? How Gunners nearly signed Real Madrid superstars

‎Arsenal’s pursuit of European glory faces an uphill battle as they prepare for a high-stakes Champions League quarter-final clash with the mighty Real Madrid. The Spanish side, boasting a squad brimming with talent, is led by two of the world’s most sought-after players—Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham. But in an alternate timeline, Arsenal could have been benefitting from their prowess, as both players came agonizingly close to joining the Gunners when they were still teenagers.

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‎Real Madrid stars 'Bellingham and Mbappe.'

‎Getty Images

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‎This near-miss scenario is a reflection of how fine margins in the transfer market can shape a club's destiny. Arsenal’s loss has certainly been Real Madrid’s gain, and these failed deals continue to haunt the club’s European ambitions.

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‎The Bellingham Saga: A £500k Deal That Fell Through

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‎Jude Bellingham’s rise has been nothing short of spectacular. At just 21 years old, he’s already cemented himself as one of the world’s most complete midfielders and a key figure at Real Madrid. But before his meteoric rise to prominence, Bellingham was in Arsenal’s sights when he was still playing in Birmingham City’s youth teams.

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‎In 2014, Arsenal made a formal approach to sign the then-14-year-old Bellingham. They were prepared to pay the £500,000 compensation required to bring him to the Emirates, but an unforeseen 48-hour delay in the process allowed Birmingham to swoop in and secure the young star's signature. This missed opportunity was a bitter blow to Arsenal, but it wasn’t the last time they tried to land the talented midfielder.

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‎According to former Gunners icon Tony Adams, Arsenal came close to signing Bellingham after his impressive breakthrough season with Birmingham. "He had more or less done the deal," Adams recalled. However, a change in the club's boardroom structure led to the deal collapsing, with new sporting director Edu not fully aware of Bellingham’s potential.

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‎Bellingham’s subsequent success at Borussia Dortmund and later Real Madrid has made it clear that Arsenal missed a chance to secure one of England’s brightest talents. Had he joined the Gunners, Bellingham could have been a crucial player in their push for a Premier League title and European glory.

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‎The Mbappe Miss: Wenger’s Heartbreak

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‎While Bellingham’s potential was a near miss, Kylian Mbappe’s failure to join Arsenal is perhaps an even more painful story for the Gunners. In 2013, when Mbappe was just 14 years old, he caught the attention of Arsenal’s scouting team, including former player Gilles Grimandi. The Gunners even held formal talks with the teenager, but Mbappe ultimately chose to stay in France and join AS Monaco.

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‎At the time, Arsenal was going through a period of stagnation, with no silverware to show for their efforts. Grimandi admitted that it was difficult for the Gunners to convince Mbappe to join, as the club wasn’t competing at the top level. Despite Arsenal's best efforts, Mbappe’s decision to join Monaco turned out to be the right one, as he quickly rose to prominence, winning multiple domestic trophies before moving to Paris Saint-Germain.

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‎Arsene Wenger, who had an eye for top young talent, later admitted that missing out on Mbappe was a “footballing blow.” He added that seeing a young Mbappe wearing an Arsenal shirt in 2004 only made the regret more painful. Wenger’s failed pursuit of the French star is just one in a long list of heartbreaking transfer sagas, which also included near-misses for the likes of Luis Suarez, Yaya Toure, and N'Golo Kante.

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‎A Missed Opportunity for Arsenal’s Future

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‎Had Arsenal signed both Bellingham and Mbappe as teenagers, the course of the club's history could have been dramatically different. Both players possess the qualities that could have elevated Arsenal to new heights, especially in the midfield and attacking departments. However, missed opportunities in the transfer market—due to delays, internal changes, and lack of top-tier success—meant that these two future superstars found their home at Real Madrid.

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‎While Mikel Arteta has worked hard to restore Arsenal as Premier League contenders, the club’s European woes continue to haunt them. With Real Madrid now poised to battle for the Champions League again, featuring both Bellingham and Mbappe, Arsenal will need to overcome not only their opponents but the pain of what could have been.

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‎The Gunners have made significant strides under Arteta, but his tenure has yet to see the club push beyond the Champions League quarter-finals. If they’re to get the better of Madrid and continue their pursuit of silverware, Arsenal will have to ensure they don’t fall short in similar transfer battles in the future. The possibility of having Bellingham and Mbappe on their books is a dream that Arsenal fans can only fantasize about, as both players continue to thrive at the Santiago Bernabéu.