Arteta keen to join race for Mbappe

MIKEL ARTETA says Arsenal must be in the running to sign Kylian Mbappe from Paris Saint- Germain — even if it is likely he will join Real Madrid.

The France forward is out of contract in the summer and has told PSG president Nasser Al Khelaifi he will leave.

Real have long been linked with the 25-year-old, but Arteta feels signing him would show the Gunners’ ambition to become the ‘best team’.

Mbappe, who has 243 goals in 290 games at PSG and scored a hat-trick in the 2022 World Cup final, is likely to command a huge salary and signing bonus.

But when asked if Arsenal should push to sign him, Arteta said: ‘Absolutely, why not? If we want to be the best team we are going to need the best talent and the best players.

‘When there is a player of that calibre then we always need to be in the conversation. But, it looks like (his future) is heading in a different way.’

Arteta said Arsenal are entering ‘the most important part of the season’ ahead of their trip to Burnley today. They are third in the Premier League table, two points behind leaders Liverpool, after four league wins in a row.

■ FORMER Arsenal and Celtic striker Anthony Stokes will be jailed for at least 30 days after handing himself into police in Scotland.

Stokes, 35, was sent to prison by magistrates yesterday morning. He had absconded to Dublin from Scotland, where he was on bail awaiting sentencing over a barrage of offensive text messages sent to his former partner, to which he pleaded guilty.

He twice failed to present himself at a police station, but on Thursday returned to Scotland and handed himself in.