Transfer Story
After guiding his club to yet another FA Cup triumph over rivals Chelsea, Arsene Wenger is planning a busy summer. They have already acquired a full-back in Kolasinac. Wenger is looking for talented midfielders. The need for strengthening has always been a priority for the Gunners, with the frugal spending policy opted by Wenger costing him a Champions League place last season.
Arsenal have been linked with a host of players, including a rejected 87M Pound bid for Kylian Mbappe.
Now, though, it appears they have shifted their attention elsewhere, particularly, to one of Mbappe’s teammates, Thomas Lemar.
The 21-year old has been a revelation this season and has established himself in a very youthful Monaco setup. The winger, who made his international debut for France in November 2016, is a gifted player.
Arsenal are on high alert as one of their main stars, Alexis Sanchez has been strongly linked with Manchester City. He has only a year left on his contract and Arsenal risk losing him for free next summer.
Olivier Giroud and Lucas Perez also appear to be on the move in search of regular first team football. The former has grown frustrated over Alexis being preferred in the central role last season.
German playmaker Mesut Ozil is also stalling on an extension, fuelling rumours that he also might be leaving.
There seems to be only one solution for the Gunners, and that is to show some impetus in the transfer market. They need to buy world-class players, at least potential world-class players. Signing Thomas Lemar will certainly be a step in the right direction.
Player Stats
Lemar boasts of some impressive stats. He scored 14 goals and managed another 14 assists last season. A great output in a Monaco side filled with goals and attacking footballers. This was achieved on his way to SIX Man of the Match performances. 1.7 completed dribbles per game suggest he is not afraid of taking on defenders and getting past them. Lemar is also a skilful set-piece taker, scoring a few free kicks last season. He averages 2.1 key passes and 1.6 shots per game with a pass completion of 82 %. (via whoscored)
What he offers Arsenal
Lemar likes to dribble, take on players and has a great cross to match at the end of it. He can go for it alone and has a knack for scoring as well. Lemar is a set-piece specialist, who likes to take direct free kicks. Lemar represents a great addition to the Arsenal attack and offers an extra dimension and genuine world-class ability.
With Alex Iwobi still finding his feet in the league, Oxlade-Chamberlain playing more centrally, and Theo Walcott giving erratic performances, it is only sensible they move for Lemar which will also bring some much-needed competition for starting berths.
