Arsenal are reportedly in the race to sign AS Monaco starlet Thomas Lemar as they look ahead to a summer of intense transfer activity.
According to the Mirror, Premier League campaigners Arsenal are looking to sign French U-21 international Thomas Lemar from AS Monaco this summer.
The youngster’s form has mirrored the Ligue 1 leaders’ stellar advent in the domestic and continental circuit this season and has caught the eye of many a European giant. Arsenal are the the latest to join the queue of clubs looking to raid Les Rouges et Blancs off their impressive array of young talents.
Players of the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Bernardo Silva, Fabinho, Tiemoue Bakayoko and Benjamin Mendy along with Gunners’ target Lemar have all been of interest in various combinations to the likes of Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea.
21-year-old Lemar has featured in 52 games in all competitions for Monaco, scoring 14 goals and assisting 13 others in a season that has seen his club score a staggering 134 goals thus far.
Arsenal, however, may face competition with Barcelona as the Catalans have reportedly expressed their interest in acquiring the player in recent months.
While the La Liga holders may promise regular silverware, Arsenal may be able to deliver greater first team opportunities than the Spanish giants, who are already brimming with stars in their squad.
Conversely, with the likes of Alexis Sanchez, Lucas Perez, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Mesut Ozil being linked with summer exits from the Emirates, several places could potentially be up for grabs at Arsenal.
Leonardo Jardim’s team have an immensely blossoming project going on at the Stade Louis II. And in order to sustain the purple patch, they will have to retain as many of their players as possible which, given the calibre of clubs that are in the loop, will be a tall ask.
Meanwhile at the Emirates, Wenger’s interest in pursuing the youngster has led many to believe that he could yet end up staying at the club despite the wide number of protests from Arsenal supporters this season calling for his ouster.
The Frenchman, who was behind much of the club’s growth since the turn of the millennium has endured a barren patch in terms of trophies for the better part of the last decade. Moreover his inability to satisfy owner Ivan Gazidis’ promise of challenging for the Champions League title upon moving to the Emirates has left many in dismay.
The Gunners have continually faltered at the last-16 stage for more than half a decade. Although they lost out to opposition of the quality of FC Barcelona, Bayern Munich and AC Milan during the period, their lack of competency in the continental level hasn’t impressed many at the club.
Either-ways, Arsenal fans do have a summer to look ahead to in terms of transfer activity and should the club be able to sign some decent names, the faction of supporters calling for Wenger’s exit may be inclined to give their boss one final shot at improving the fortunes at the club.
