Manchester United are eyeing a move for AS Monaco’s Thomas Lemar – joining Premier League rivals Arsenal and Liverpool in the race for his signature this summer. Jose Mourinho has secured three of four transfer targets this summer — but is still on look-out for one more winger. After failing to lure Gareth Bale or Cristiano Ronaldo from Real Madrid, Lemar – according to a report published by Daily Record – is now supposedly top of Jose Mourinho’s wish-list as he is seen as a more than worthy alternative to the Galacticos stars – who are each seemingly staying put at Santiago Bernabeu.
At the start of the summer, Jose Mourinho had made it clear he wanted to strengthen in four areas — attack, central defence, defensive midfield and on the wing. Romelu Lukaku has solved the forward problem, Victor Lindelof came in at the back and Nemanja Matic has slotted in seamlessly in the middle of the park. However, they still need to add a wingman. Ivan Perisic appeared destined for Old Trafford but now seems set to stay at Inter Milan, while more ambitious attempts for Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo were rebuffed. Marcus Rashford started on the left against West Ham and impressed — as did Anthony Martial, who replaced him for the last ten minutes.
The Frenchman has had a price tag of €60m pinned upon is head by the Ligue 1 champions, a figure which is justified due to his influence within the squad during the club’s successful domestic and European 2016-17 campaign. In 55 appearances in all competitions later year, Lemar managed to bag 14 goals and supplied his teammates with 17 assists last season for his current employers and more is yet to come from the winger as his career progresses. The Gunners and Liverpool, much like the Red Devils, have been scoping possible recruits for the coming campaign, and the 21-year-old has been widely touted for a move to English shores – meaning that a three-way tug-of-war could ensue for his services after all.
United have been tracking Inter Milan’s Ivan Perisic, although the Serie A giants have been persistent in pricing the Croatian out of a move to the Theatre of Dreams. But, being younger than the 28-year-old at the San Siro, Lemar would prove to be the more cost-effective option in the wage department and could potentially harbour a more substantial resale value than Perisic in the future. Being highly adaptable, the attacker surfaces as the perfect acquisition for the ‘Special One’, although if Lemar is to don the red of United next term, Mourinho will have to fend off the likes of Arsene Wenger and Jurgen Klopp, who are equally as eager to swoop him away from the Stade Louis II.
