(MENAFN- Gulf Times) Monaco will not let sought-after midfielder Thomas Lemar leave the club before the end of the season, the vice-president of the reigning French champions said on Monday. Vadim Vasilyev was asked in an interview if he could '100% guarantee that Thomas Lemar will stay at Monaco until the end of the season.
The Russian answered 'yes. Lemar, 22, has a contract until 2020 but he has been linked with a move to the Premier League this month, with Arsenal and Liverpool said to be especially keen. The January transfer window closes at midnight today.
Arsenal reportedly offered around 100mn euros (£90mn, $124mn) for the France international just before the last transfer window closed in August, but Monaco rejected that offer. Vasilyev also rejected suggestions that Brazilian midfielder Fabinho could depart.
Fabinho had wanted a transfer last summer when Paris Saint-Germain were interested, but Monaco refused to let him go then. It seems likely that both will be allowed to go in the next close season.
Monaco are currently fourth in Ligue 1, a point behind Lyon in second and Marseille in third, but 12 points behind leaders Paris Saint-Germain. Only the top three qualify for next season's Champions League.
Juventus' Cuadrado out for month after surgery
Colombian winger Juan Cuadrado has been ruled out for at least a month after undergoing surgery on a groin injury, Italian champions Juventus said yesterday. The 29-year-old was operated on in Munich for a 'longstanding groin problem, the club said.
Cuadrado, who has scored four times this season, will miss Juventus' Champions League last 16 first leg game against English club Tottenham in Turin on February 13.
Left-out Ben Arfa feels
he doesn't exist anymore at PSG
Having not played a single game with Paris St Germain this season, former France forward Hatem Ben Arfa says he has the feeling he ‘does not exist' anymore. The 30-year-old joined from Nice in 2016 but after featuring 23 times in Ligue 1 last season, he has been dumped into the reserves this term and his lawyer even threatened legal action last September.
'What I'm going through at PSG is very complicated, I have the feeling I don't exist, Ben Arfa said. 'You have to learn to live with that. At some point, my life as a footballer will come to an end, there will be other testing times, like sickness. But learning not to exist anymore after feeling like you existed after what you had done before, it's hard.
After leaving Hull City in January, 2015, Ben Arfa joined Nice for the 2015-16, scoring 17 goals from 34 league matches. He has scored two goals from 15 caps with France between 2007-15.
MENAFN3001201800670000ID1096408974
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.