Arsenal, Spurs on alert as Atletico in dire need to sell €60m flop in January

Thomas Lemar TEAMtalk

Atletico Madrid are to sell Thomas Lemar in January as a priority, according to Spanish outlet Marca.

The attacking flop has not managed to hit dizzy heights he managed with Monaco and after just three goals in 62 appearances for Los Rojiblancos he will be put up for sale this month.

The France international became Atleti’s record signing, when he signed for €60m from Monaco in 2018, but he has since been displaced by Joao Felix.

The 24-year-old has managed 21 appearances this season, but he is still waiting for his first assist or goal this season and Diego Simeone is ready to cut his losses on the player.

Football Espana report that Atleti are operating at the maximum of their wage budget, meaning that they must sell before they can add to their squad this month and they want to recoup some of their investment on Lemar, plus save on his €120,000 a week wages.

Tottenham and Arsenal have been linked with the winger, claim Marca, while Diario AS suggest that Spurs boss Jose Mourinho is a big fan of Lemar

France Football reported last month that coaching staff in the Spanish capital had decided they do not want to work with the player. They also claimed the Atleti board were intent on offloading the player and are already seeking to line up a move for Valencia attacker Rodrigo to replace him.

Arsenal were in fact close to signing the France international on deadline day in summer 2017 – but had a £92million offer rebuffed by the Ligue 1 club.

 

 

AS recently claimed Arsenal’s offer for Lemar would have to be considerable, but Atleti’s desire to get Lemar, who is not a first-team regular, off the wage bill may go in favour of the north London rivals.