Arsene Wenger thought he’d be able to sign Monaco’s Thomas Lemar next summer, but now it appears Liverpool will be winning the race for his signature.
Arsenal were in for Lemar way back in June and looked, for the longest time, to be the only team in for him.
With the end of the window fast approaching, it’s clear that Arsenal aren’t going to sign him. And to rub salt into the wounds, Liverpool have now made a bid.
Thursday: Arsene Wenger says Monaco have closed the door on Lemar leaving.
Sunday: Liverpool make £55m offer for Lemar— Kaveh Solhekol (@SkyKaveh) August 28, 2017
It would be farcical if Arsenal lost Lemar to Liverpool after spending so long trying to bring him to the Emirates Stadium. According to Sunday Times correspondent Jonathan Northcroft, Wenger believed he would able to sign Lemar next summer.
Would be sore for Arsenal. Wenger loves Lemar and has been working on premise that if Monaco won't sell this summer he'll get him next year https://t.co/AUu1dQz6hk
— Jonathan Northcroft (@JNorthcroft) August 28, 2017
Arsenal made three separate bids for the 21-year-old and none of them convinced Monaco to sell. Having spent weeks chasing what was ultimately a lost cause, Wenger admitted last week that the deal was dead.
He believed that Monaco had closed the door due to all the sales they already made. The logic doesn’t quite hold up given the timing. Arsenal had interest in June before Monaco had sold the bulk of their team.
Players then left in July and August, none of them to Arsenal. Lemar could still leave, just not to join the Gunners now.