Arsenal preparing to splash the cash again as they plot £45million move for Monaco winger Thomas Lemar
Gunners to lodge huge bid for French star just days after smashing transfer record for Alexandre Lacazette
ARSENAL are ready to splash the cash again by lodging a £45million for Monaco’s Thomas Lemar just days after breaking their transfer record.
That fee could eventually surpass the £50m mark with additional payments and could take their spending to over £100m in July alone.
And now they are set to gazump that figure again on the French international winger, according to the Daily Mail.
The Gunners have already had a £30m offer rejected by the Ligue 1 champions for the ace and returned with a £40m offer.
Their determination to land Lemar will see them go back with yet another improved bid in the coming days which they hope will finally convince Monaco to sell.
The French side are determined not to lose both Lemar and Kylian Mbappe this summer, having already lost Bernardo Silva to Manchester City and Tiemoue Bakayoko about to seal a move to Chelsea, and were rumoured to have demanded £80million from Arsenal from the winger.
Arsenal’s chief executive promised to be a “a catalyst for change” this summer after handing Arsene Wenger a new two-year contract as manager.
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Gazidis and transfer negotiator Dick Law are determined to get their business wrapped-up early before the squad head to Australia on tour this week.
Despite the signing of left back Sead Kolasinic, they are still keen on bolstering their defence.
A centre half is another top target, with Southampton’s Virgil van Dijk a prime target.
Once they get their incomings sorted they will then switch their focus to trying to tie Alexis Sanchez down to a new deal.
Thomas Lemar factfile
- Thomas Lemar was born in Baie-Mahault, Guadeloupe, on 12 November 1995
- The winger began his youth career at Solidarite Scolaire before joining Caen in 2010.
- In 2013 he broke into the first team at Caen, before Monaco snapped him up in 2o15.
- The 21-year-old is rated highly by the national team and has played for the U17s, U18s, U19s, U20s and U21s before appearing in the senior side.
- He made his international debut in 15 November in 2016 after appearing as a sub in a 0-0 friendly against the Ivory Coast.
- Lemar won his first piece of silverware with Monaco after they were crowned Ligue 1 champions.
The Chilean only has a year left on his existing contract and has rejected previous offers by the Emirates board.
Arsenal are determined not to sell him to Premier League rivals Chelsea or Manchester City.
They also plan to hold further talks with Ozil who is also out of contract next summer.
