Arsene Wenger wants to offload fringe players in order to sign Thomas Lemar
It’s been a case of ‘so far so good’ for Arsenal this summer.
They’ve signed left-back Sead Kolasinac on a free transfer, while they’ve also smashed their club record transfer fee to bring in Alexandre Lacazette for £52 million.
And, as things stand, the likes of Alexis Sanchez, Mesut Ozil and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are all staying at the club despite doubts surrounding their future.
But the Gunners won’t stop there.
Having failed to qualify for the Champions League for the first time in 21 years, Arsene Wenger knows just how important it is to get back among Europe’s elite.
Therefore, the Frenchman wants to carry on spending and is setting his sights on Monaco’s Thomas Lemar.
Wenger has already had £30 million and £40 million bids for the winger rejected with the Ligue 1 side holding out for a fee worth around £80 million.
Wenger wants Lemar
While that fee may seem excessive, Wenger is desperate to sign Lemar and is considering paying that much.
But first, he must sell some players to raise the funds.
And, according to the Daily Mail, Wenger is looking to offload as many as eight players in order to pay for Lemar.
Who Wenger could sell
Here’s who could make way for the arrival of the 21-year-old.
Kieran Gibbs
- Interested: Newcastle and West Brom
- Fee: £15 million
- Interested: Newcastle and West Brom
- Fee: £15 million
Carl Jenkinson
- Interested: Newcastle
- Fee: £5 million
- Interested: Newcastle
- Fee: £5 million
Calum Chambers
- Interested: Crystal Palace
- Fee: £12 million
- Interested: Crystal Palace
- Fee: £12 million
Wojciech Szczesny
- Interested: Juventus
- Fee: £10 million
- Interested: Juventus
- Fee: £10 million
Lucas Perez
- Interested: Deportivo interested
- Fee: £15 million
- Interested: Deportivo interested
- Fee: £15 million
Jack Wilshere
- Interested: Crystal Palace
- Fee: £20 million
- Interested: Crystal Palace
- Fee: £20 million
Mathieu Debuchy
- Interested: Nice
- Fee: Free
- Interested: Nice
- Fee: Free
Olivier Giroud
- Interested: Everton, Marseille and West Ham
- Fee: £20 million
- Interested: Everton, Marseille and West Ham
- Fee: £20 million
As you can see, Arsenal have the ability to raise plenty of funds from selling fringe players.
With no Champions League football, the need for a strong squad depth isn’t quite as necessary. Of course, they do have Europa League football to contend with next season but that competition will probably be taken less seriously by Wenger.
So, don't be surprised by an almighty fire-sale at the Emirates in the coming weeks as Wenger looks to raise the money needed to sign Lemar.
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