sportbible logo

To make sure you never miss out on your favourite NEW stories, we're happy to send you some reminders

Click 'OK' then 'Allow' to enable notifications

Arsene Wenger Confirms Improved Offer For €100 Million Rated Star In January

Arsene Wenger Confirms Improved Offer For €100 Million Rated Star In January

The Arsenal boss has confirmed it.

Josh Lawless

Josh Lawless

Arsenal ultimately left it too late in a move for Monaco's Thomas Lemar, who was subject to a £92 million bid that was subsequently accepted but as per as Arsene Wenger, the France international didn't fancy the move and as a result nothing materialised, with Alexis Sanchez's £60 million deadline day move to City also collapsing as a consequence.

Giving an interview to BeIn Sports, detailing why the Lemar deal didn't come to fruition, Wenger said, via the Mirror, "The player has chosen to stay in Monaco.

"You do not want to talk too much about. You have to respect what happens on the negotiation side.

"I know we live in the era of transparency but at some stage, to respect everybody you have to not talk too much about that.

"Look I cannot tell you everything that happened because after that when you decide to let a player of that calibre go, you need to replace him because nobody would understand that you let the player go and when you cannot do it.

"You keep the player and make a financial sacrifice because what you want, at the end of the day, is to have a team who has a good potential and top quality.

"That means two things: Alexis Sanchez will go, like Mesut Ozil, in the final year of his contract or you think during the season you will find a way to extend the contract or at the end of the season the players go for free."

Image: PA

Wenger also gave an interview to Telefoot, further confirming the mammoth bid for Lemar, who scored twice for France against Netherlands on Thursday, and stressed that Arsenal will go back in for the 21-year old midfielder.

"€100 million for Lemar? Yes all true, I wanted him," he said.

"He decided to stay at Monaco, we will come back for him."

Wenger was also heavily linked with a move for another Monaco player, 18-year old sensation Kylian Mbappe, earlier in the summer.

Image: PA

Mbappe signed for PSG on a season-long, before a permanent £166 million move takes place next summer, and Wenger tips his compatriot to achieve great things - even comparing him to the legendary Pele.

"Mbappe could be [the next] Pele," he added.

"There are no limits to how far he can go. "I wanted him too, but €180 million is too much for us."

(h/t The Mirror)

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: Thomas Lemar, Arsene Wenger, Arsenal, AS Monaco