Arsenal have third bid for Monaco ace rejected

 

Arsenal have had a third bid worth €50m (£44.5m) rejected by Monaco for winger Thomas Lemar, reports L’Equipe, via The Daily Mirror.

 

Arsene Wenger has earmarked Lemar as one of two priority signings this summer having already broken the club’s transfer record to land his international teammate, Alexandre Lacazette.

 

However, Monaco have made it clear all summer that Lemar would not be allowed to leave the club if Tiemoue Bakayoko was sold and they have maintained that stance since the latter’s £40m switch to Chelsea.

 

Monaco vice-president Vadim Vasilyev went on record earlier in the week to state neither Lemar nor Fabinho would be sold this summer and the Ligue 1 champions have even slapped an £80m valuation on Lemar’s head in order to ward off Arsenal’s interest.

 

 

Arsenal are in the market for a new left-sided forward with Alexis Sanchez on course to leave the club this summer, but Wenger may now be forced to turn to alternative target Riyad Mahrez.

 

In the last three Ligue 1 campaigns only Ryad Boudebouz (12) has registered more assists from set-piece situations than Lemar (9).