It’s a known fact that Arsenal are interested in signing AS Monaco’s Thomas Lemar. However, the ongoing saga means Arsene Wenger could miss out on his next transfer signing.
On Monday morning, BBC reported they could miss out on the France U21 international due to the fact the French club don’t want to lose another key player. Had they wrapped up a deal prior to Tiemoue Bakayoko’s move to Chelsea, the headlines could well be different.
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Arsenal are so desperate to bring in another attacking player, given the future of Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil still being uncertain. The former has stated that he wants to play Champions League football next season, which he won’t be getting at Arsenal.
For Ozil, he’s stated that he wants to stay at the Premier League club however, with just one-year remaining on his contract and an extension yet to be struck, it may be time to sell.
Losing Lemar would no doubt be a huge blow to Arsenal’s transfer plans but with that said, here’s five targets that the Gunners could gamble on should they miss out on the Frenchman.
#1 Marco Asensio
There has already been reports of Marco Asensio interesting Arsenal however, given that James Rodriguez has joined Bayern Munich on a two-year loan deal with an option to buy, this deal seems extremely unlikely.
At just 21-years-old, Asensio is one of the brightest talents in Spain, already breaking into the Real Madrid first team making 38 appearances in all competitions, scoring 10 and creating four. For such a young player, the Spaniard is playing like a seasoned veteran, whilst he also played a key role in Real’s Champions League defence.
Also read: 5 reasons why Alexandre Lacazette will succeed at Arsenal
The youngster is extremely versatile. He can play on either flank, or as the No. 10, whilst he can also be deployed as a central midfielder should the opportunity arise. Asensio has an eye for a pass which is shown with his 89% successful pass rate whilst he possesses great dribbling skills.
Asensio was Spain’s star player at the Euro U21 Championship in Poland in June, and the Spaniard would be welcomed with open arms at the Emirates.
#2 Mikel Oyarzabal
There’s no doubting Real Sociedad’s academy. Players such as Xabi Alonso and Antoine Griezmann have come through the ranks of the Spanish clubs, and the next one looks to be Mikel Oyarzabal.
At just 20-years-old, the Spaniard already has an international cap to his name, whilst he’s played 60 La Liga games for Sociedad, scoring 10 and creating 11. For what he lacks in pace, the youngster certainly makes up for in dribbling and vision.
Oyarzabal likes to play on the left-wing however, he’s not your typical winger. The Spaniard likes to cut-inside and play one-twos whilst he looks to exploit gaps in the opponents’ defence – whilst he has that Mesut Ozil and David Silva style of play about him.
#3 Angel Correa
Staying in Spain, it’s a surprise that Arsenal have yet to be linked with Angel Correa. Premier League rivals Liverpool are said to be in the race for the Atletico Madrid player, as a fee of around £25 million should be enough to lure him away.
However, the transfer ban that Atletico currently have in place could be a potential stumbling block for a any suitor. The Spanish club signed the Argentine from San Lorenzo in 2014 and he’s been regarded as one of the best South American talents.
Although the 22-year-old started out as a striker, Correa has often been deployed on the flanks by Diego Simeone. In 83 games in all competitions for the Madrid side, the Argentine has scored 16 and created 15.
Aggressive with his running, his bull-ish approach to dribbling would be a nightmare for Premier League defenders. It’s very similar to Carlos Tevez’ style of play which caused teams so many problems during his spell at Manchester United.
At just 22, Correa could be a useful addition to Arsenal should they miss out on Monaco’s Thomas Lemar.
#4 Nabil Fekir
Unfortunately for Nabil Fekir, injuries have dampened his career. However, at just 23-years-old, the Frenchman has a lengthy career ahead of him. And Alexandre Lacazette’s departure from Lyon could prompt Fekir to move on.
He was expected to make Didier Deschamps’ France squad for Euro 2016, which made it to the final before losing to Portugal, however an injury prior to the tournament kept the youngster out of action.
Fekir missed just six Ligue 1 games for Lyon last season and since making his first-team debut in 2013, the Frenchman has featured 86 times in the league, scoring 27 and setting up 20.
Like the others on this shortlist, Fekir has a low centre-of-gravity which makes it difficult to get the ball off whilst not only having that eye for a killer pass, but also being lethal in front of the goal.
Lyon’s style of play is fairly similar to that of Arsenal’s, which means Fekir shouldn’t have too much adapting to do should a move materialise.
#5 Felipe Anderson
Although not a similar type of player to anyone of the previous four on this list, or similar to Thomas Lemar for that matter, Felipe Anderson would offer something different from the flank, possessing different attributes to those already at the club.
Wanted by Manchester United last season and Liverpool this season, it’s fairly easy just to see why he’s highly thought of in Europe. Arriving at Lazio from Santos in 2013, Anderson has gone on to play 145 games for the Italian club.
For Lazio, the 24-year-old has scored 26 goals from wide positions whilst creating 33 in the process. Using his dribbling abilities and pace to get past opposing defenders, Anderson would offer something different to the current crop of Arsenal players.
