Arsenal: Thomas Lemar completes title-winning quartet

Arsenal and Arsene Wenger are pushing hard to complete the signing of Thomas Lemar, while also remaining stern on Alexis Sanchez’s future. If they can succeed in those two areas, then alongside Mesut Ozil and Alexandre Lacazette, the Gunners boast a title-winning quartet.

Arsene Wenger has come out all guns blazing so far this summer transfer window. After claiming that he and Arsenal are ambitious in the aftermath of the signing of a new two-year contract, Wenger is now vindicating his words with aggressive work, both in terms of recruitment and retention.

The most substantial addition that has been made so far is the club-record signing of Alexandre Lacazette. After four years of Olivier Giroud, Wenger had grown wearisome with a striker who lacks the mobility or the dynamism. So, he turned to Lacazette.

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But in adding Lacazette, questions remained over whether he was the answer to Arsenal’s striking problems. The doubters rose because of the potential departure of Alexis Sanchez. The Chilean, who scored 24 Premier League goals and amassed a further 10 assists in a remarkable season of surging attacking play and ruthless incision, has just one more year to run on his current contract, and, consequently, can dictate whether he wants to stay or go.

If he were to leave, it would leave a gaping hole on the left-hand side of Arsenal’s attack, one that would be difficult to fill with a like-for-like replacement given his exuberant skill and seeping influence. Lacazette, then, while an exciting addition, was only viewed as such if he was to compliment, not replace, Sanchez.

Wenger’s back is against the wall to convince Sanchez to stay. But rebellious and resistant is this new, more aggressive Wenger. He rebuffed the suggestion that Sanchez would be sold to City, confidently stating that a decision had been made regarding his future, one that would see him stay at the Emirates, with or without a new contract, and is now looking to further the bolstering of his attacking options.

The next man in line is Monaco winger Thomas Lemar, who has been the subject of three unsuccessful bids already. Monaco, though, are unwilling to sell, given the ravaging of their squad so far this summer, and there is still much work to be done.

Nevertheless, if Lemar was brought in, alongside Lacazette, Sanchez and Mesut Ozil, who publicly announced his intention to stay during the pre-season tour of Australia and China, then it would give Arsenal an attacking quartet that could inspire a Premier League challenge.

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Not since the days of Thierry Henry, Robert Pires, Dennis Bergkamp and Freddie Ljungberg has Wenger had so much firepower to unleash. It would be a dynamic, vibrant, potent and ruthless attack, with four players who can score and create in equal measure. It would be revolutionary for a team that have floundered in recent seasons, and could yet fire them to a genuine and sustained title tilt.

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