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31st Aug 2017

Transfer target rubs salt in Gunners’ wounds just hours after deal falls through

Typical

Ben Kiely

Thomas Lemar wasted no time in rubbing salt in Arsenal’s wound.

If there are any Arsenal fans still keeping tabs on Transfer Deadline Day, they must be gluttons for punishment. The likelihood is the situation isn’t going to improve as the clock winds down.

Gooners were left reeling from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s move to Liverpool and then it looked like Alexis Sanchez was heading to Manchester City. While the Chilean clearly wants out of the Emirates and Arsenal were willing to let him go, he will stay at the club because of their inability to find an adequate replacement.

The one man Arsenal had in their sights to replace the disgruntled attacker was Monaco’s £92 million-rated Thomas Lemar.

Arsenal had matched the huge asking price the Ligue 1 outfit had placed on the 21-year-old, but time simply ran out before the complicated deal could be worked out. So Sanchez will stay put and Lemar will remain in France.

Deadline day falls smack bang in the middle of the dreaded interlull and a few hours after the deal fell through, Lemar togged out in France’s World Cup Qualifier against the Netherlands.

With Murphy’s Law in full effect meaning that, of course, Lemar scored an absolute worldie in the match.

Don’t act like you’re in anyway surprised, Arsenal fans. The football Gods are not looking down upon you kindly today.