Arsenal have outlined a transfer plan for Paris St-Germain defender Emmanuel Mbemba, with the 18-year-old reportedly favouring a move to the Premier League champions this summer. The player has been offered a professional contract by PSG, but is open to departing the Parc des Princes when his current deal expires.
Mbemba has yet to feature for PSG’s first team, but captained their U19 side to victory in the Coupe Gambardella, the French equivalent of the FA Youth Cup. He was also part of the squad that reached the UEFA Youth League final in 2025-26, losing to Real Madrid on penalties. Arsenal scouts have reportedly been monitoring his progress throughout the season, according to Le Parisien.
The defender is versatile, capable of playing at both centre-back and left-back, and has attracted interest from several European clubs. However, BBC Sport’s Nizaar Kinsella reports that Mbemba currently prefers a transfer to Arsenal. Mikel Arteta’s side have already made initial contact with the player’s representatives and presented their vision for his development.
Arsenal’s plan for Mbemba, should he join, would reportedly involve a loan spell back in France. This strategy mirrors the path taken by William Saliba, who spent three seasons on loan in Ligue 1 after joining Arsenal. The club are also pursuing other targets, including Newcastle United’s Valentino Livramento and Sandro Tonali, and Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers, according to FootballTransfers.
To finance these potential acquisitions, Arsenal are expected to sell several players, with Gabriel Jesus, Ben White, Ethan Nwaneri, Gabriel Martinelli and Christian Norgaard among those who could be offloaded. The transfer window closes on September 1st. The club are also in advanced talks to sign Leicester City’s Jeremy Monga, while other linked players include Eli Junior Kroupi, Morgan Gibbs-White, Mateus Fernandes, Bradley Barcola and Julian Alvarez.
