Real Madrid or Barcelona would have landed Arsenal target Thomas Lemar on deadline day, says Martin Keown

 

Arsenal icon Martin Keown says that if it were Real Madrid or Barcelona who wanted to sign Monaco’s Thomas Lemar on deadline day the deal would have gone through.
Keown’s former club failed in a late £92m move for the French international after he snubbed a move to the Emirates in order to stay in the Champions League, but the retired defender claims that if it were Real Madrid or Barcelona chasing the forward, a deal would have been struck.

“It seems Arsenal left it too late to sign Thomas Lemar from Monaco on deadline day, but surely the deal would have happened if Real Madrid or Barcelona made a similar move for him,” Keown wrote in the Daily Mail.

“Arsenal cannot pretend to be in the same league as those clubs but their poor start to the season would certainly not have helped in getting this deal over the line.

“It is easy for players to make excuses about Arsenal now. They are not in the Champions League and, from Lemar’s perspective, they look like a club where everyone wants to leave.
“Players like Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil came to the club because they wanted to work with Arsene Wenger and the uncertainty surrounding the manager’s future last season will have played a part in the pair players stalling over signing new contracts.”
 

Keown, who is only adding to the tide of criticism from ex-Arsenal players aimed at the club and squad after their poor start to the new season, also feels that the club have lost the draw they once had, claiming top prospects are no longer as interested to move to the Emirates.

“Lemar and Kylian Mbappe are two promising young players from the conveyor belt of talent in France, just like Thierry Henry and Nicholas Anelka were.
“Arsenal were the beneficiaries back then but such players do not seem so keen to join them now.”