Arsenal Transfer News: AS Monaco Shut Down Thomas Lemar Rumours Amid Exit Talk

Arsenal's chances of completing a move for AS Monaco winger Thomas Lemar this winter look to be all but over after a member of the Ligue 1 club's hierarchy ruled out his chances of a January exit.

Monaco vice-president Vadim Vasilyev addressed rumours Lemar and team-mate Fabinho could leave the French Riviera next month but appeared to rule out any high-profile departures, per the Mirror's Neil McLeman.

Vasilyev said: "The sales of important players is not on the agenda. We have never spoken (to Lemar or his entourage) about the possibility of a January departure."

The Gunners have remained linked with Lemar this season despite his drop in form since the last campaign, although Liverpool fan account Empire of the Kop attested to a sterling record since last August:

Along with Premier League peers Liverpool and Chelsea, Arsenal also now have Barcelona and Bayern Munich for company in the race to sign Lemar, giving the wide man his fair share of options should he leave the French champions.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is in need of some fresh blood as he looks to rejuvenate his squad during what's been a difficult campaign for the north Londoners, who sit fifth in the Premier League standings.

One of the other big concerns for the club is the future of Alexis Sanchez, whose contract is due to expire at the end of this season; he could leave for nothing in the summer unless the Gunners cash in during the winter transfer window.

Manchester City have been the club most fervently associated with a move for the Chile international in recent months, and Goal's Sam Lee posted footage of manager Pep Guardiola failing to rule out a move:

Lemar could be a promising replacement, but it seems Arsenal will have to hold out until the summer at the earliest in order to land him, and even then it's not guaranteed the Emirates Stadium will be his first choice.

Arsenal may not be the most tempting of destinations for the 22-year-old, and former Arsenal star Kevin Campbell recently pointed to the example of Theo Walcott as talent gone to waste, via ITV Football:

Lemar will want to avoid going down a similar route, and provided he can pick up his production in the second half of the campaign to gain attraction, he could have his pick of the litter in terms of possible destinations.

The €100 million (£88.6 million) price tag reportedly placed on his head is a massive expenditure for any club, but Arsenal may struggle to tempt top talents such as Lemar at all if they fail to qualify for the UEFA Champions League.