Thomas Lemar apparently regrets declining a move to the Premiership and his recent epiphany seems to leave a lot to be desired. It probably wouldn’t be so bad if the manner of his rejection had not been so direct and dismissive.
Lemar even questioned the reasons for a prospective move to the North London club but this was when he was riding the wave.
Since then his form for Monaco has dipped and as a result, he is now working on a charm offensive to attract a fresh bid this summer to either Arsenal or Liverpool, both of whom showed interest in the player.
When the last desperate Arsenal bid was made, it was thought that qualification for next seasons Champions league was a distinct possibility. It now looks decidedly different at this stage and the balance sheet implies that a second season without automatic qualification means that the sums required for Lemar are totally unrealistic.
The timing of Lemar’s admission is interesting, with the season winding down and new suitors lurking around the corner. Lemar is a tremendous player but one wonders, even if it were possible, where the Gunners could slot him in unless there is a major overhaul in personnel.
Not only that, but the board are hardly likely to be looking at resurrecting another phenomenal bid when their priorities are obviously elsewhere. Fabil Nakir remains the number one target in midfield and after that, it’s the defence, including a decent goalkeeping option that are high on the wish list.
It’s simply a case of the passenger turning up late for the flight, looking at the plane in the sky and wishing he’d called the taxi sooner. So often, players are approached at the peak of their powers and with their valuation in the stratosphere, only for the clubs to be rebuffed by the player.
Then, after the mists of madness clear and the gunners turned their attention elsewhere, the player mystifyingly shows a genuine interest in the deal. Arsenal have money to spare but Lemar is now in the luxury bracket, plus £90 million looks much better in their own bank account than someone else’s.
Sven Mislintat is already looking at securing the services of players for next season and he could possibly get three exceptional players for the price of one Thomas Lemar. Monaco will find it difficult to get close to the original figure of the first offer but that doesn’t mean that there won’t be any takers.
Poor form can shave a price significantly but Lemar’s comments may even convince his current club to offload the young star at a discounted price before the new season commences.
