Transfer Centre

Robert Pires urges Kylian Mbappe to stay at AS Monaco

By Matt Law, Football Editor | 29 March 2017

Former Arsenal attacker Robert Pires tells Kylian Mbappe to turn down interest from the likes of Real Madrid to continue at AS Monaco.

Former Arsenal attacker Robert Pires has urged in-demand teenager Kylian Mbappe to turn down interest from the likes of Real Madrid to continue his development at AS Monaco.

Mbappe, 18, has scored 19 times in all competitions for Monaco this season, including 14 goals in his last 12 appearances for the Ligue 1 outfit.

The teenager's form has led to suggestions that Manchester United, Arsenal, Barcelona and Real Madrid all want to prise him away from Monaco at the end of the 2016-17 campaign.

However, Pires has insisted that Mbappe's development would be best served at his current club.

"He is young and I think that the best thing for him would be to continue at Monaco for a couple of years more, to continue playing. He is not going to lack offers in the future," Pires told Marca.

"Going to Real Madrid, for example, he does not need. It's one of the best teams in the world but there is a lot of pressure and he needs to play to continue growing."

Mbappe, who made his senior France debut during the recent international break, recently suggested that he is not yet ready to join Real Madrid.