Lemar named in France team amid Arsenal and Liverpool speculation

31 August 2017 20:07

Thomas Lemar has been named in France’s squad to face Netherlands on Thursday, seemingly ending transfer speculation surrounding the Monaco winger.

Lemar had been linked with Premier League sides Arsenal and Liverpool to become the latest high-profile exit from Stade Louis II, with Monaco having allowed Kylian Mbappe to join Paris Saint-Germain on deadline day, while Bernardo Silva, Benjamin Mendy and Tiemoue Bakayoko have also departed during the transfer window.

But, although Arsenal were reportedly willing to pay as much as €100million to buy Lemar, the player’s involvement against Netherlands in Paris for Les Bleus’ key World Cup qualifier appears to indicate he will stay with the Ligue 1 champions.

Lemar remaining at Monaco could also have a knock-on implication for the potential sale of Alexis Sanchez to Manchester City, with Arsenal unwilling to allow the Chile international to leave without signing a replacement.

City had reportedly made Sanchez one of their top targets of the window, but have thus far been unable to persuade Arsenal to sell despite the forward being in the last year of his contract.

France are second in World Cup qualifying Group A, level on points with leaders Sweden and three ahead of Netherlands in third.