According to RMC Sport, as cited by Talksport, Arsenal are still in talks with Atletico Madrid regarding the potential transfer of Thomas Lemar. The Gunners are looking to come to an agreement with the Spanish outfit, who are keen on offloading the winger in this January transfer window. However, in this article, we will discuss why a move for Lemar does not make sense for Arsenal.
A struggling spell at Atletico
Since leaving AS Monaco in the summer of 2018, in favour of a big-money move to Atletico Madrid, Lemar has struggled to impose his authority in the final third. The Frenchman has failed to outperform the likes of Saul Niguez or even Angel Correa. As a result, coach Diego Simeone has minimised his overall game-time, with the attacker featuring in only 1,824 minutes of league football in his debut season.
It has been pretty much the same story for Lemar in this ongoing campaign. And while injuries have played a part in stifling his progress at Atletico, it is fair to point out that he has indeed struggled to integrate to Spanish football.
With that in mind, it remains a doubt whether or not Lemar will be able to settle into the even more fast-paced nature of English football. Hence, he could be an extremely risky signing for Arsenal – something they can’t afford at the moment.
An expensive option
Speaking of affording things, Arsenal are clearly cut short when it comes to their financial situation. The Gunners spent a lot of money in the summer, signing players like Dani Ceballos, Nicolas Pepe and Kieran Tierney. So essentially, they are likely to operate on a low budget in this January transfer window.
Now, as far as Lemar is concerned, he is expected to cost a fortune, having moved to Atletico for a fee of €70 million just 18 months ago. The Spanish outfit, therefore, would be looking to recoup as much as money as they can from the sale of this Frenchman, despite his lack of performances.
It would create conflicts in attack
Lemar is a left-winger by trade and his addition to the Arsenal side could create certain complications in the attacking department. First and foremost, the Gunners have no less than three viable options at left-wing in the form of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Gabriel Martinelli and Reiss Nelson.
Lemar’s presence in the team, therefore, could restrict the likes of Martinelli, who has enjoyed a stellar start to his Arsenal career, from earning a more prominent role in the first-team. Not to mention, it would also force Aubameyang to play in a more central role, even though there is a need to accomodate Lacazette in the starting lineup. Hence, Lemar is someone Arsenal clearly doesn’t need at the moment.
