Arsenal have missed out on Paris Saint-Germain youngster Emmanuel Mbemba, but not to the club that was previously expected to sign him.
Arsenal were recently linked with PSG youth defender Emmanuel Mbemba, and the Gunners appeared to be the favourites to sign the player at one stage.
That was a while ago now, and in late June it was reported that AS Monaco were set to win the race for the signing. Instead, Paris FC have now confirmed they’re signing the PSG player.
Parisian rivals Paris FC have confirmed that Mbemba has signed a contract lasting until 2030, putting an end to the transfer saga. The media did at least correctly report that he wasn’t extending his deal with PSG, but the rest of the story has been a bit of a rollercoaster.
Nizaar Kinsella reported for the BBC in June that Arsenal had made an approach to sign 18-year-old defender. At the time, it was said that Mbemba favoured Arsenal over the alternatives.
The teenager was available for a little over £150,000 in training compensation money after his contract expired at the end of that month.
Arsenal’s pitch involved sending Mbemba out on an initial loan move in Europe until January 2027, allowing the Gunners time to secure him a work permit.
Perhaps Arsenal’s inability to offer Mbemba the chance to integrate with them immediately made the Parisian offer more enticing.
Arsenal reportedly viewed Mbemba as a long-term option at left-back, despite the fact he has also played centre-back with PSG.
Mbemba played in defence for the PSG youth teams in 2025/26, representing the u19s in domestic football and the UEFA Youth League.
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