Reports suggest that Monaco will not sell the Frenchman to Arsenal this summer.
The Gunners have had a £31 million bid for Thomas Lemar rebuffed by Monaco, according to respected broadsheet the Guardian.
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is preparing for the possibility of life without Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil, and has subsequently been linked with some of Europe’s hottest prospects.
Lemar is certainly one of the most talented youngsters around, and burst onto the world stage last season, scoring 14 goals and chipping in with 14 assists in 51 appearances for Monaco.
Monaco’s Thomas Lemar celebrates
The 21-year-old can play anywhere along the front-line, but is most comfortable when deployed in the wide left position, which makes him the ideal Sanchez replacement, should the Chilean eventually leave.
The Guardian claim that the Gunners could be out of luck in their pursuit of Lemar though, with Monaco adamant that they will not sell the Frenchman, despite the fact that he is keen to link up with Wenger at the Emirates.
Football is a funny old game though, and the French champion’s stance could obviously just be a ploy to try and get more money out of Arsenal.
And for someone as talented as Lemar, even a figure approaching £50 million would seem like good value in today’s inflated transfer market.
Monaco’s Thomas Lemar celebrates
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