Arsenal on brink of snapping-up Monaco ace Thomas Lemar after Arsene Wenger launches third £45m bid
SunSport revealed earlier this week that the Lemar deal is almost done
ARSENAL have had a third official bid for Monaco winger Thomas Lemar as they close in on a £45million deal.
As SunSport revealed earlier this week, the Gunners are on the brink of sealing a deal with the Ligue 1 club.
And French sports newspaper L'Equipe have reported that Arsenal have made another bid of €50m (£44.68m) after their previous offers of €40m and €45m were rejected.
This bid was also rejected - but Monaco are starting to realise they may have to sell.
As SunSport also revealed, 21-year-old Lemar has already agreed terms, in principle, to move to north London.
Monaco owner Vadim Vasilyev has previously been steadfast in his refusal to sell the youngster, but is having a change of heart.
With key men Bernardo Silva, Tiemoue Bakayoko and Benjamin Mendy already sold - and Kylian Mbappe linked with a blockbuster move away - Monaco are facing a full rebuild.
Arsenal will make an improved offer in the coming days.
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Thomas Lemar: The Guadeloupe-born Monaco star Arsenal want
- 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 2015.
- 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 France 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 last season after they were crowned Ligue 1 champions.
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Guadeloupe-born France international Lemar scored 12 goals and added 14 assists in all competitions as Monaco shocked Paris Saint-Germain to win Ligue 1.
Leonardo Jardim's side also reached the semi-final of the Champions League.
Lemar's arrival would likely see Arsene Wenger break through the £100million spending barrier for the first time.
The £92m spent last summer - on Granit Xhaka, Shkodran Mustafi and others - was a record.
Wenger has already spent a club record £52m on Alexandre Lacazette and brought in Saed Kolasinac on a free transfer as he plots a way for the Gunners to return to Champions League and title contention.
However, the futures of Alexis Sanchez, who is set to return to training this week, Lucas Perez and Kieran Gibbs still need to be resolved.
