Thomas Lemar celebrates
Thomas Lemar can leave Monaco for the right fee (Picture: Getty)

Monaco boss Leonardo Jardim admits he’s powerless to stop Thomas Lemar leaving the club this month because of the ‘crazy’ transfer market.

The 22-year-old is Arsenal’s first choice replacement for Alexis Sanchez, who has a choice between Manchester United and Manchester City this month.

Lemar was keen on moving to the Emirates last summer but his move was scuppered by City’s failure to agree a deal for Sanchez on deadline day.

Liverpool, fresh from Philippe Coutinho’s £142million move to Barcelona, want to reinvest wisely and have earmarked Lemar as a potential replacement for the Brazilian.

Thomas Lemar celebrates
Lemar is keen on a move to the Premier League (Picture: Getty)

And Monaco have dropped the biggest hint yet that Lemar will be allowed to leave with boss Jardim admitting he cannot stop the transfer for the right fee.

‘Today, the market is open. You know how crazy the market is. Things happen that even a club like Monaco cannot say no to. It happened to Liverpool (with Coutinho),’ said Jardim.

‘Things are as they are. The numbers today are incredibly big. Everything can change. The things I can say today are not true tomorrow

‘In the last two transfer windows, last summer and this winter, the numbers have gone up enormously. I still want to keep Lemar. If I stay here for 10 years I want Lemar to stay with me for 10 years.

‘He is young, he can still play for 10 years. He has a lot of qualities, I like him a lot.’

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Manchester United’s £25m bid for Sanchez could accelerate Arsenal’s pursuit of Lemar, with the Gunners keen on getting in a replacement before they let the Chilean go.

The Red Devils have offered Sanchez a greater salary than that on offer at the Etihad but Sanchez remains keen on working with former boss Pep Guardiola.

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