Monaco players have been streaming out the club's exit door all summer, following last season's domestic and European heroics.The French club shocked PSG to clinch the Ligue 1 title and reached the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League.However, many of Monaco's talented young players have left the club for 'bigger' European clubs such as Manchester City, Chelsea and PSG.Tiemoue Bakayoko, Bernardo Silva, Benjamin Mendy and Kylian Mbappe have all completed big money moves.French winger Thomas Lemar was subject to a number of bids from Liverpool and Arsenal but Monaco were unwilling to let another of the star players leave.According to various reports, the French club eventually accepted a jaw-dropping €100m bid from Arsenal on Transfer Deadline Day.
Alexis Sanchez had agreed a move to Manchester City but the transfer was conditional of Arsenal's signing of Lemar.The 21-year-old was expected to join the Gunners but the deal inexplicably fell apart in the last few hours of the window.Therefore, Sanchez, who has less than 12 months remaining on his current deal at the Emirates, failed to secure his move to Manchester City.Speaking on French TV station beIN SPORTS on Friday evening, Arsene Wenger explained why the Gunners failed to complete the signing of Lemar.
Lemar rejects Arsenal
“The player has chosen to stay in Monaco,” Wenger said.
“You do not want to talk too much about. You have to respect what happens on the negotiation side.
“I know we live in the era of transparency but, at some stage, to respect everybody you have to not talk too much about that."
There are reports circulating that he 'only has eyes for Liverpool' but Lemar is surely the only Monaco player who, given the option, decided to stay.
Playing in the Europa League this season, their failure to lure a Monaco star to the Premier League says a lot about Arsenal's ability to attract top tier footballers.
Arsenal lie 16th in the Premier League table after three games and face Bournemouth and Chelsea when the players return from the international break.
They suffered two humiliating defeats on the bounce and it's no exaggeration to describe them as a club in crisis.
Wenger, who recently signed a two-year contract extension, is under immense pressure from the fed-up supporters.
The veteran manager's explanation of why he failed to secure the signing of Lemar will only serve to fuel the flames.