Monaco: Thomas Lemar Will Not Be Sold In January

Monaco’s President reiterated the club’s earlier stance that the talented midfielder will stay at the French club.

Since this summer, Thomas Lemar has been strongly linked to Liverpool, ostensibly as the Big Name Player™ to replace Philippe Coutinho. Liverpool’s summer Deadline Day bid failed to force Monaco to sell the talented, young midfielder, and what looked like a slim chance of forcing a January move, now appears to be none.

Monaco president, Vadim Vasilyev, reiterated a previous stance that any transfer activity concerning Lemar would have to wait until summer.

“He will stay at Monaco until the end of the season 100 per cent,” Vasilyev the French radio station RMC.

”If Liverpool or Arsenal come with a big offer before the end of the market? This is not relevant.

”We will say ‘no’ because the objectives are clear. Without important players like Lemar, we will not succeed.”

The statement, while completely logical and understandable for a team in a three-way scrap for Champions League qualification, is frustrating considering Liverpool’s own ambitions and their failure to hold on to their most valuable assets in the winter window.

In both this situation, and the Naby Keita one at Energy Drink Leipzig, Liverpool were unable to impose themselves in the rough and tumble transfer market, leaving open the possibility of failing to qualify for next season’s Champions League, and greatly increasing the likelihood of yet anther trophy-less season.

Source: liverpooloffside.sbnation.com