Manchester City have reportedly joined the race to sign Thomas Lemar, who is also being targeted for a summer move by Liverpool.
According to a report by Daily Telegraph, Thomas Lemar is the subject of interest from Manchester City, who are eyeing the Frenchman for the summer transfer window. Liverpool hold a long-standing interest in the AS Monaco forward, and are now set to go head-to-head with their Premier League rivals for him.
Lemar hasn’t managed to follow up on a sensational 2016-17 Ligue 1 title winning campaign with AS Monaco, with the club themselves faltering this season. So far in the current campaign, he has a sub-par return of three goals and eight assists in 28 appearances across all competitions.
But, the player’s exploits from last season remain fresh in the minds of potential suitors, which would explain why he is still highly sought-after in the transfer market. Liverpool have been monitoring Lemar’s situation for a long time, and the Reds are believed to be in the market for him for a summer move.
Philippe Coutinho’s departure to Barcelona in January has opened up a spot in Jurgen Klopp’s squad, with the Liverpool boss looking to bolster his squad in order to create a title winning side. With Lemar in tow, the manager can potentially create a formidable four-pronged attack also featuring Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah.
But, Liverpool now face stiff competition from Manchester City for the player, with Pep Guardiola looking to improve an attack that is already the most prolific in England. The manager already has Leroy Sane, Raheem Sterling and Bernardo Silva as the options to occupy the wide areas.
But, after failing to land Alexis Sanchez and Riyad Mahrez in January, it is clear that the Manchester City boss wants to bolster his attacking options, making Lemar a viable target. What perhaps hands the Citizens an advantage over Liverpool is that they already share an amicable relationship with Monaco, having signed Silva and Benjamin Mendy last summer.
There is lack of clarity over his price tag, though. Arsenal had failed with a £90 million bid on deadline day last summer, and it is likely that Manchester City and Liverpool will have to offer something closer to the aforementioned valuation.
It now remains to be seen where the player heads off to in the summer, with his Monaco stint highly likely to come to an end in the summer. But, with Manchester City joining Liverpool in his pursuit, the race to sign Lemar is certainly heating up.
