Petit: Mbappe Has Become an Ego Problem at Real Madrid, and France Must Handle Him Carefully

Speaking exclusively with BOYLE Sports , former Arsenal and Chelsea midfielder Emmanuel Petit has given his verdict on the chaos surrounding Kylian Mbappe at Real Madrid and what Didier Deschamps must do to get the best from him at the World Cup .

Petit has named Khvicha Kvaratskhelia as his dream signing for Arsenal , backed the club to pursue both Anthony Gordon and Marcus Rashford , and explained how winning the Champions League could help Arsenal attract Mbappe if he leaves Real Madrid .

The former World Cup winner has also assessed whether Trent Alexander-Arnold would get into the France team, explained why Unai Emery should stay at Aston Villa , weighed up the Haaland and Kane debate at Barcelona , and given his thoughts on Thierry Henry and Patrick Vieira at Celtic .

Kylian Mbappe

What Has Gone Wrong For Mbappe at Real Madrid?

This season has been a mess at Real Madrid , just like last season. But this season, you can see that there are some troubles in the dressing room. I think Kylian Mbappe is causing a lot of tension. If I were Florentino Perez , to be honest with you, I would make a huge turnover in the dressing room next transfer window, definitely. I would ask myself this simple question: who is going to be the star of the team next season? I bought Kylian Mbappe, and in the last two years, we have had so many troubles on and off the pitch since then. But Kylian Mbappe has also scored so many goals. You can see that the egos of the players are becoming the biggest issue in this club.

The egos are becoming impossible to manage. When you are the manager of Real Madrid , you don't come with a vision; you come as a manager. You manage the egos in the dressing room. This is how it works at Madrid . And the fight is, the last two managers, Xavi Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa , have been struggling to manage the egos because those stars are more important than the manager, and they are fighting you.

There has been a fight apparently between Bellingham and Mbappe , but Mbappe had a fight as well with a coach, also, the fight that he went to Italy on private time with his girlfriend. It's getting to the point that a decision has to be made from Florentino Perez . The petition of ten million Madrid fans that want Mbappe to leave, I have never seen that before. Mbappe wanted to win the Champions League . Win the Ballon d'Or , be the next Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo . Now he is 27 and has no Ballon d'Or or trophies with Real Madrid .

Will Mbappe Still Be a World Cup Star For France?

France have two players actually up front, Michael Olise and Ousmane Dembele . Dembele is the Ballon d'Or winner. Olise is with the players who can win the Ballon d'Or at the end of the season. Those guys have been amazing for the last two seasons. Mbappe is playing up front as a striker. Dembele is playing up front as a striker. Ask Didier Deschamps , the French manager, who is going to play? If I am Didier Deschamps , for me it's very simple. Ask Kylian Mbappe to play on the left, the way he was brilliant for years with Paris Saint-Germain . Ask Dembele to play up front as a striker, and I ask Olise to play as a right winger.

If you do like that, I'm pretty sure France will win the World Cup . If you don't do that and you want to go the same way that Madrid has been doing with Kylian Mbappe, then you're going to have trouble. Egos in the dressing room will come out, and the trouble will start in the team.

Could Mbappe End Up in the Premier League?

Arsenal would love Kylian Mbappe, and he'd be perfect on their left wing. I could also see him at a team like Liverpool as they look to replace the gap left by Mohamed Salah in their team. They have missed Luis Diaz hugely. The only reason I think Mbappe will stay at Real Madrid is because if he leaves without winning a trophy, it would make his move a failure.

Mbappe has a huge ego, so he will probably want to stay and to prove the opposite. I'm pretty sure about that. I don't see him leaving Madrid , probably the biggest club in the world, unless the decision is made for him. The only way he leaves is if Florentino Perez cracks under the pressure. Four million fans have signed to say they want him to leave the club. That could be the end for Mbappe because Florentino Perez is a political guy.

If Arsenal win the Champions League for the first time, then it would change the course of their history and send a strong message in the transfer market. Players would, of course, want to play for the Champions League winners and hope they can go and win it again; it would help them attract Kylian Mbappe if he does leave Real Madrid .

Arsenal Transfer Talk

Gordon or Rashford This Summer?

Arsenal should sign both Anthony Gordon and Marcus Rashford . Because I think we need competition on the left side. I think that that was something missing, and I think it's time for Gabriel Martinelli to leave the club.

I think he's been struggling for years now, and I think you can see that. Last week I watched a game against Atletico Madrid . Every time he took the ball, he always gave back the ball and never tried to create anything. He cannot dribble anymore; I don't know what's happening. It's about the confidence, but the fact is, for me, he has to go.

I'm very, very happy with Leandro Trossard , but we need someone with speed, with technical skills, someone who can create, pass opponents, with his speed and as well with his technical skills. I'd like Rashford at Arsenal , Anthony Gordon, as well, but Gordon needs to improve his numbers in the Premier League , despite how impressive he was in the Champions League . At Arsenal , I think he could get far more goals and assists.

Dream Signing For Arsenal?

If you take away Khvicha Kvaratskhelia from Paris Saint-Germain , that would be a nightmare for Luis Enrique . Kvaratskhelia is a dream to watch, but a nightmare for defenders. Since he arrived at Paris Saint-Germain last January , 16 months ago, he has transformed the team. He was the missing piece for Luis Enrique .

He is so talented. He has a great character and a great mentality. He's a winner. He wants to hurt the defence every single time he gets the ball. It is so difficult to defend against him because he is so confident with the ball at his feet. But he also has the technique, the vision; he has everything. So, if you ask me my dream signing for Arsenal , it would be Kvaratskhelia . However, I'm pretty sure that Paris Saint-Germain will never sell Kvaratskhelia, and I'm pretty sure Kvaratskhelia doesn't want to leave Paris Saint-Germain .

Managers Talk

Is Trent Misused By England and Real Madrid?

Before Trent Alexander-Arnold left Liverpool, I said it would be a big risk for him because he's not in the same comfort zone he had when he was playing for Liverpool . He made a lot of mistakes defensively for Liverpool , and the fans, the club closed their eyes to it all the time because he was one of the favourites. He was playing for this club for years and years, and the fans loved him. So when he left for Madrid , I said it's going to be such a big risk because over there, they won't forgive him for any single mistake. And honestly, it has been a very difficult season for him.

If Trent Alexander-Arnold was French , he wouldn't be part of the national team. Why? Simply because of two reasons. The first reason is that we have so much attacking power in France ; we don't need the right-back or the left-back to help, you know, to support. Yes, sometimes, but very occasionally, not all of the time. The second is Didier Deschamps just wants proper defenders, guys who know how to defend, because he knows that he's got so much power up front, they can make a difference by themselves. So he will always ask, and you can see that for more than ten years with the national team, he's been always telling his defenders, your priority is to defend. Honestly, Trent Alexander-Arnold is not the best in this position to do so. So forget it.

If Jose Mourinho returns to Real Madrid , if he asks Trent Alexander-Arnold to play as he wants to, he will probably need different defenders at the back, which means the central defenders have to be one of the strongest in La Liga , which is not actually the case. A return to Liverpool ? That marriage is over. It's like when you divorce your wife and then all of a sudden you want to marry your ex-wife again. It doesn't work like that, so forget it.

Would Emery Walk Away From Villa For Real Madrid?

Unai Emery has struggled to manage big clubs; at Paris Saint-Germain , it was quite difficult, Arsenal as well. So I think he's very good with the teams that are right below the top clubs because he knows how to manage those egos. He has got a proper vision of how he wants his team to play. But when he's facing big egos in the dressing room, he has struggled.

If he goes to Madrid , it's a huge step. With the mess they are in, I'm not sure he's the right manager for that. He's having a great time so far with Aston Villa . As I said, I think we'll see at the end of the season; if Villa win the Europa League and qualify for the next Champions League , I don't see him going to Real Madrid .

Henry or Vieira at Celtic?

Thierry Henry or Patrick Vieira are taking their time for the right role. Celtic are second and could still win the title, but it's been a mess for the managers on the bench. Martin O'Neill has been amazing for this club, all things considered. They are looking for a new manager, but Patrick has been managing in England , in France , in Italy . This question could be asked to Thierry Henry because it's been a long time now since he was a club manager; he was an assistant for the Belgium team; Celtic could be very interesting for him.

If Celtic qualify for the Champions League , that would make a huge difference for new managers. That could be exciting for Thierry . I think the Champions League is something very important if he is going to be interested in Celtic .

What Do Carrick's Critics Get Wrong?

I've heard so many people talking about Michael Carrick , so many former players, saying that he should be given the Man Utd job. What the hell? Am I missing something? He has managed 14 games in the Premier League , only in the Premier League , 14 games. Ten wins, two draws, and two losses, and I can hear some former players saying, no, don't give him the job for next season.

Why? Why? Give me just one good argument. They mention experience, but how are managers supposed to get experience if they don't get rewarded for winning games? He has taken his chance, and he deserves to stay.

Transfer Talk

Haaland or Kane to Replace Lewandowski at Barcelona?

That's the question, but there is another question; do you think Haaland 's story with City is over? I don't think so. Not yet. Harry Kane is enjoying his life so much at Bayern Munich . He has been amazing for them. So, I don't see why he would leave. Bayern Munich is one of the biggest clubs in the world. It's the same as Barcelona . And Man City as well, for the last decade.

City has been one of the best clubs in the world. Better than Barcelona . So why would Haaland go to Barcelona ? For the history of the club? For the image of the club? Because if you want to achieve success, the biggest problem at Barcelona is not up front.

Mainoo's New Partner

Eduardo Camavinga can play the same position as Casemiro , but he doesn't have the same qualities. Camavinga is not in the first XI anymore at Real Madrid , and I think he's about to leave the club this summer. But, if Manchester United wants him to replace Casemiro , it should be with Aurelien Tchouameni .

Tchouameni would suit this position better than Camavinga ; I think he'd be a great fit there. I can see some other players too, like Carlos Baleba , from Brighton . I think he is strong, and I think he can improve a lot; he's got interesting qualities. But for me, Tchouameni is the best fit.

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