Monaco would be willing to cash in on Thomas Lemar this January, perhaps eager to receive some of the £142m windfall that’s just fallen Liverpool’s way following the sale of Coutinho to Barcelona.
Coach Leonardo Jardim, who won the title last season, has always been completely adamant Monaco wouldn’t offload their best players until the summer, but last night, openly changed his tune.
“We are not used to selling in the winter,” he began, reported in the Standard.
“But the transfer window lasts until the end of the month and many things can happen…”
Liverpool are being linked with Lemar as a replacement for Coutinho, having made unsuccessful bids for the 22-year-old during August last year.
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Chelsea and Arsenal are also keen and flush with cash, but the suggestion – reported here in the Star – is that the Frenchman wants to work under Jurgen Klopp and not for our rivals.
Lemar is not yet on Coutinho’s level, but he has the potential to develop into a truly world-class operator.
Monaco are clearly opening the door to his departure, so time will tell if Klopp chooses to reinvest the £142m instantly or wait until the summer, something Liverpool fans are dreading as a possibility.