Prominent journalist delivers big transfer blow to Arsenal after Chelsea reportedly agree deal

By Harry Sykes

A leading football journalist has delivered a blow to Arsenal's hopes of signing Monaco's Thomas Lemar this summer.

Jason Burt, the Chief Football Correspondent for the Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph, posted a tweet to his official Twitter page on Thursday saying that Chelsea's deal for Tiemoué Bakayoko could scupper the Gunners hopes of signing the Monaco attacker.

He said that he was told this news again after Chelsea agreed the deal for Bakayoko, although he did say that it might just be a bargaining stance from the French club.

This came after a report in the Telegraph that claimed Arsenal were "confident" that their next offer for the in-demand 21-year-old winger, said to be £45million, would be accepted.

However, the Telegraph also reported on Thursday that Chelsea were due to complete a £39.7million move for Monaco's midfielder Tiemoué Bakayoko, who was scheduled to undergo a medical on Friday.

Burt's claim is that this deal could have a knock-on effect on the Lemar deal, with Monaco unwilling to lose another of their first-team players.

However, leading bookmaker SkyBet still think that Lemar will leave – although they're unsure where he might end up.

They price him at just 4/9 to leave the French club in this transfer window, with longer odds of 13/8 for him to stay at Monaco.

If Arsene Wenger is a gambling man – although many transfer windows would suggest he isn't – that might give him some comfort.

In other Arsenal transfer news, the Gunners have dropped a huge hint about this attacker leaving after releasing their new squad numbers. 

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