Why Tottenham should beat Arsenal to sign Thomas Lemar

According to The Sun, Tottenham are set to battle Arsenal for the signing of Thomas Lemar from Atletico Madrid in the January transfer window.

The report suggests that Atletico are looking to offload Lemar following a disappointing spell at the Spanish capital. They signed the Frenchman back in the summer of 2018 for £63m after a successful time with Monaco, where he was instrumental in the French outfit’s Ligue 1-winning campaign.

Lemar has scored just three goals and assisted 6 times in 64 appearances for the Rojiblancos and has not lived up to the expectations of the club and its fans. He has made just 9 league starts this season and the club have no interest in keeping him.

Tottenham and Arsenal have endured one of their worst starts to the season and are slowly getting back on track under their new managers. Jose Mourinho has picked the Lilywhites from further humiliation and they are currently 6^th in the league standings.

On the other hand, Arsenal have claimed just a single win under Mikel Arteta and the Spaniard has to continue his work in order to help them climb higher up the table.

Lemar was at his best while he was at Monaco and that helped him claim a spot in Didier Deschamps’ squad for the World Cup campaign, which France went on to win in 2018. He was the creative hub for Monaco in their run to the Ligue 1 title.

The former Caen winger is blessed with a variety of skill-set and his mesmerizing dribbling can wrong-foot defenders. He is a threat from set-pieces and his technical ability has made him the definition of a playmaker who isn’t afraid to test the goalkeeper.

He has made over 100 appearances for Monaco and has established himself as one of the best wingers and attacking midfielders across Europe. With enough experience under his belt, he has evolved to become more of a team player rather than doing things on his own.

Meanwhile, Tottenham and Arsenal would be hoping to strengthen their squad for the rest of the season and Lemar would be a perfect match for either of the North London teams.

Presently, Christian Eriksen’s future is uncertain at Tottenham and he could be on the move any time sooner. This would leave a huge void in their creative department. On the other hand, Arsenal have Mesut Ozil, who is looking better under the new manager.

Budding youngster Joe Willock and Reiss Nelson are also developing into first-team players. They have already done enough to convince the manager, who is giving them regular game time.

At Tottenham, Heung Min-Son is the only left-winger at his best and on the opposite side, Erik Lamela has been prone to injuries. Lucas Moura will now have to lead the attack by playing in the centre-forward role due to Harry Kane’s hamstring injury, which he picked up against Southampton.

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Verdict

A closer look at both sides reveals that Tottenham are in more trouble than their rivals, as they lack the required depth on the wings and in the playmaking department. And beating Arsenal to sign a player of Lemar’s calibre would be a statement.

Hence, it would be perfect for Tottenham to pursue their interest in Lemar and land the Frenchman soon, even if it is on a loan move, according to Foot Mercato (h/t The Sun).