Arsenal must get Riyad Mahrez risk right

Roma have reportedly agreed on personal terms with Riyad Mahrez. Arsenal are playing a risky game by putting all their eggs in Thomas Lemar’s basket. It’s one they must get right.

While Arsenal have already added an established, respected and accomplished striker by completing the club-record deal for Lyon centre-forward Alexandre Lacazette, that does not mean that they no longer need further improvements in attacking areas, with or without the retention of Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil.

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Usually, a statement like that — one that suggests further investment is required — is made by the fans or media analysts and pundits. But this summer, despite not explicitly proclaiming his intentions, thanks to the bids that he has made, Arsene Wenger has revealed his agreement with the statement.

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However, admitting a need and having a will to fill it do not equate to solving the problem. Ultimately, a successful and completed action must come to pass to claim that the problem has been solved. For Arsenal, that action is the signing of a player who offers a genuine and significant improvement on those already in the squad. Having the will and want to do it is meaningless if the result is empty action.

That is why the recent reports suggesting that Roma have agreed to personal terms with Riyad Mahrez are so concerning. Given that Lacazette will play through the middle, to continue adding to his attacking options, Wenger must look to bolster his wide players. There are few players throughout the continent that would have fit that bill as well as Mahrez.

One alternative to the Leicester City attacker is Thomas Lemar. The Monaco starlet enjoyed a scintillating season for the French champions, showcasing a wonderful creativity and guile when drifting in off of the left flank.

With great vision and reading of the game, Lemar is able to see passes far in advance, often unpicking defences with cute, sliding balls that no one even envisaged playing. He also has the technical skill to execute such tight, intricate and precise passes, making him an extremely dangerous creator in the final third.

However, Monaco are unwilling to sell. After already losing Bernardo Silva and Tiemoue Bakayoko this summer, as well as potentially selling Kylian Mbappe for a world-record fee later in the window, Monaco are wanting to avoid an utter exodus. As such, there is no guarantee that Arsenal will be able to complete a deal for Lemar.

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And yet, if they remain passers by as Mahrez and Roma agree to terms, if they want to bolster their attacking options, as Wenger’s interest in several players suggests, then they will be putting all their eggs in the Lemar basket. That is a risky move, one that they must succeed in.