According to The Telegraph (subscription required), as cited by Football.London, Arsenal will have the opportunity to sign Thomas Lemar on deadline day. The Atletico Madrid midfielder has fallen out of favour under Diego Simeone, who is keen on offloading him on loan this summer. Arsenal have emerged as a shock destination, although the report claims that there is one more Premier League club interested in Lemar’s services.
Here, at The 4th Official, we will discuss how the potential arrival of Thomas Lemar could affect the Arsenal setup this season.
A Replacement For Mesut Ozil?
The addition of a new attacker essentially means that Arsenal are now ready to move on from Mesut Ozil.
The German has found it difficult to get into the starting lineup under Arteta this year as he is yet to make a single appearance since the restart in June. It has led to speculations that the playmaker is not included in the Spaniard’s first-team plans, although the player has insisted that he will remain at Emirates until the end of his contract.
Nevertheless, Lemar appears like a decent alternative to Ozil in the Arsenal attack. The Frenchman is not a like for like replacement for the ex-Real Madrid sensation, but he has the quality to provide that creative essence going forward.
Unlike Ozil, Lemar is also quite versatile as he can feature anywhere across the final third. His work-rate and mobility also bode well for Arteta, who wants his players to give 100% on the field.
What Does It Mean For Reiss Nelson & Emile Rowe Smith?
Two players who were in danger of disappearing from Arteta’s first-team plans are Reiss Nelson and Emile Smith Rowe. And it could be further confirmed by the potential arrival of Lemar.
Indeed, the Gunners already have a wealth of attacking options at their disposal including Bukayo Saka, Nicolas Pepe and Willian while Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been shifted into the left-wing position. Also, Gabriel Martinelli is nearing his return to the pitch and should Lemar join; things could look bleak for Nelson and Smith Rowe.
It would perhaps be wiser for Arteta to send them out on loan this summer, although Smith Rowe is suffering from an injury right now.
Expect A Lot Of Sales In The Deadline Day
With Lemar’s potential move to Emirates gaining fuel, we can expect Arsenal to offload a bunch of fringe, unwanted players in the transfer deadline day.
Matteo Guendouzi has already been linked with a move to Hertha Berlin, and the transfer should be completed today. The same applies to Lucas Torreira, who could be on the verge of a move to Atletico Madrid.
Meanwhile, the defensive duo of William Saliba and Sead Kolasinac aren’t expected to remain at Emirates either, with the former being linked with a loan move to Rennes. As for Calum Chambers, he has appeared as a late target for West Ham United.
It will be interesting to see how these transfer sagas shape up today and whether or not it will help Arsenal secure a late move for Thomas Lemar.
