Arsenal have reportedly made a £90 million bid to sign Thomas Lemar from AS Monaco on deadline day
According to a report in Daily Mail, Arsenal have reignited their interest in Thomas Lemar, and are set to go head-to-head with Liverpool in pursuit of the AS Monaco. The North London club have lodged a £90 million deadline day bid that would break the British transfer record.
Lemar has enjoyed a sensational rise to prominence over the last one year, having been a pivotal figure in AS Monaco’s shock Ligue 1 triumph in the 2016-17 season. A figure of consistency and a mainstay in attack, the Frenchman grabbed 14 goals and 17 assists in 55 appearances across all competitions.
Lemar has kicked off the current season on a strong note as well, providing two assists in five outings. His exploits have helped him become a highly sought-after player in the transfer request, with some of the biggest clubs in the world registering an interest in him in recent months.
However, if he chooses to call time on his spell at Monaco, England seems to be his next destination with Liverpool and Arsenal in hot pursuit of the player.
At Liverpool, Jurgen Klopp has been busy in the transfer market, having already signed four players thus far. However, Philippe Coutinho’s future at Anfield is under a cloud, with the Brazilian heavily linked with a move to Barcelona.
Arsenal have reportedly bid £90 million for Monaco winger Thomas Lemar. (Daily Mail) #afc #asmonaco pic.twitter.com/AEyaOEeaIx
— IntoTheTopCorner (@ITTC_football) August 31, 2017
The Brazilian’s possible departure could leave Jurgen Klopp a short of quality playmaking options, with no big creative outlet in his stead currently. Therefore, Lemar is being hotly pursued by the Reds for a possible move before the transfer window slams shut.
Meanwhile, Arsenal are at risk of losing Alexis Sanchez on deadline day, with Manchester City refusing to end their interest in the Chilean. Reports claim the completion of the transfer is only a matter of hours.
Sanchez’s departure could leave Arsene Wenger with inconsistent options in Theo Walcott and Danny Welbeck, in addition to the inexperienced Alex Iwobi, as his only recognised options in attack. Thus, the Arsenal boss has revived his interest in Lemar, just days after publicly admitting defeat in his pursuit following three failed bids.
The report suggests that Arsenal have lodged a stunning £90 million bid for Lemar, which surpasses the previous bids that Liverpool have made for the player – the latest reportedly being worth £74 million.
The aforementioned figure will also break the British transfer record, currently standing at £89 million, paid by Manchester United to sign Paul Pogba last summer. It now remains to be seen if the bid is enough to tempt Monaco to sell their player, and if Liverpool make one final attempt to steal a march on Arsenal.
