Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger has confirmed he will renew his interest in t Monaco star Thomas Lemar, after confirming the Gunners submitted a late £92m offer for the Frenchman before Thursday’s summer transfer deadline.
The French tactician said the Emirate club met Monaco’s €100m (£92m) valuation for the 21-year-old attacker but that the player himself opted against a transfer away from the French Ligue 1 champions.
The Gunners tabled three offers for Lemar earlier this summer – the biggest being valued at about €50m – but even the late offer of about €100m did not materialize.
Wenger said on Téléfoot, a French football program: “€100m for Thomas Lemar? Yes, all true (correct), I (Wenger) wanted him (Lemar). He (Lemar) decided to stay (remain) at Monaco. We (Arsenal) will come back for him (Lemar).”
Chile international Alexis Sánchez’s proposed transfer to Premier League rivals Manchester City failed to go through as a result of the Gunner’s failure to secure a late transfer for Thomas Lemar, with a medical examination virtually not possible, because the player was on international duty.
He netted twice in France’s 4-0 victory over Holland on Thursday night.
Manchester City had submitted a second cash bid for Alexis Sánchez, which was worth about £55million plus £5million in add-ons.
The Gunners were inclined to accept the bid, with the player himself desperate to move but the Chile international saw any exit ultimately stopped.
