Everton offered chance to sign Thomas Lemar from Atletico Madrid
Everton have been offered the chance to sign Atletico Madrid winger Thomas Lemar but a decision has been made already, according to L’Equipe.
The 26-year-old joined the Spanish outfit in 2018 for £62million from AS Monaco but has not continued his upward trajectory as first thought and Diego Simeone has not been convinced to keep him at the club.
As a result, Lemar – who was a part of the France squad that won the 2018 World Cup in Russia – has been offered to both Everton and Premier League rivals Arsenal over a potential transfer.
But despite contact between clubs, neither the Toffees nor the gunners wanted to make a deal happen and he is therefore likely to extend his stay at the Wanda Metropolitano on half the wage packet he is currently on.
He now needs to start the season strong if he wants to be selected in Didider Deschamps’ squad for the 2022 World Cup defence in Qatar.
Missed opportunity
L’Equipe don’t mention how much money it would have cost to prize Lemar away from Madrid but unless it was an astronomical amount that no team would have afforded, there shouldn’t be a reason why Everton have not made an approach.
He is the exact winger Frank Lampard needs to compliment the ever-energetic Anthony Gordon on the opposite flank with Dominic Calvert-Lewin the dominant figure connecting the two.
Having lost Richarlison to Tottenham Hotspur, a suitable replacement is desperately needed but there is not anything on the table just yet and time is running out before the new season begins.
As good as Demarai Gray was for five games at the start of last season, he is not the player to replace Richarlison but Lemar could be so there would be no harm in at least beginning negotiations.
It’s almost as if Everton have forgotten that they can withdraw from a transfer after they have begun talks because they don’t seem to be as active as they need to be after such a difficult 2021-22 campaign.