Exclusive: Liverpool make second bid of £64.6m for Monaco's Thomas Lemar as they push to complete transfer Jason Burt, chief football correspondent
28 AUGUST 2017 • 1:56PM
Liverpool have increased their offer for Monaco’s Thomas Lemar to more than 70million euros (£64.6million) and are now pushing hard for a deal to be completed before the transfer window closes. As revealed exclusively by Telegraph Sport on Sunday evening an initial bid of 60million euros (£55million) for the French international was rejected by Monaco earlier this summer but Liverpool have returned with the improved bid and are aware that Lemar would like to leave. Sources in France claimed that bid is now at more than 70million euros although Monaco have insisted all summer that they will not sell Lemar. They have already rejected offers from Arsenal while Manchester United, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur have also shown interest. If Lemar did join Liverpool it would be a significant embarrassment for Arsenal in particular, who have shown the greatest interest, with their manager Arsene Wenger declaring that any attempt to sign him during this window as “dead”.
Also, however, if there is any indication that Monaco might sell then other clubs, Chelsea in particular, make make counter-offers which will drive up the price for Lemar.
Liverpool’s offer, which would smash their transfer record, does not mean that the club are re-considering whether they should sell Philippe Coutinho, who is desperate to leave, to Barcelona.
Monaco have lost Tiemoue Bakayoko, Benjamin Mendy and Bernardo Silva depart already during this window and have now agreed to deal to allow Kylian Mbappe to leave for Paris Saint-Germain. They have briefed that following the sale of Bakayoko Lemar would stay but there is now growing pressure for him to leave also.
With Lemar, who was in the team who thrashed Marseille 6-1 on Sunday, Monaco believe they can command an even greater fee than has been offered for him so far next summer as they regard him as a rising star of French football.
Lemar is a versatile player who can play anywhere across the frontline although usually on the left. But Lemar also, potentially, can play as a wing-back which is where Chelsea considered using him had they made a bid this summer.
A complication for Liverpool is that Lemar has now joined up with the France squad for international duty and coach Didier Deschamps has said he wants any player who is looking for a move to sort out their future by the end of Monday.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2017/08/28/liverpool-make-second-bid-646m-monacos-thomas-lemar-push-complete/ 再加碼
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