Report: £105k-a-week wages could stop Mendes bringing £53m client to Wolves

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Thomas Lemar’s £105,000-a-week wages could scupper super-agent Jorge Mendes’ hopes of taking the Atletico Madrid benchwarmer to Wolverhampton Wanderers before next week’s transfer deadline, according to Marca.

If the £53 million World Cup winner was concerned about his diminishing importance at the Wanda Metropolitano, Sunday’s 6-1 thrashing of Granada will have failed to ease those fears.

Lemar was restricted to 13 minutes of action as Diego Simeone’s side obliterated one of the most in-form teams in Spanish football. Joao Felix, Angel Correa and Yannick Carrasco all justified their place ahead of the Frenchman with fine displays.

Diego Costa, Marcos Llorente and two-goal debutant Luis Suarez also outshone Lemar during a rare display of ruthlessness from the 2014 champions.

But, unless the former Monaco star is willing to take a substantial wage cut, there’s a real possibility he’ll be consigned to another season on the sidelines – something Lemar can’t afford if he wants to earn a place in Didier Deschamps’ France squad for Euro 2021.

Le10 Sport reported last week that Wolves had opened talks to sign yet another Mendes client, shortly after Nelson Semedo arrived at Molineux.

The super-agent has his work cut out, however.

Lemar earns £5.5 million a year at Atletico, or about £105,000 a week, which would make him the highest earner in the Black Country.

Lemar, who was famously the subject of a £92 million bid from Arsenal in 2017 (Sky), has produced just three goals and three assists in 54 La Liga games since moving to Madrid.