Leonardo Jardim hints at Liverpool move for Thomas Lemar after admitting 'a club like Monaco cannot say no'

Leonardo Jardim has hinted that Liverpool may actually sign Thomas Lemar during the January transfer window after admitting a club like Monaco “cannot say no”.

Liverpool are looking for a replacement for Philippe Coutinho after his £142m move to Barcelona this month and Jurgen Klopp wants to act upon his longstanding interest in the 22-year-old Lemar.

Arsenal are also interested in the winger and nearly signed him last summer, but The Independent revealed in December that Lemar’s preference is to move to Anfield.

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Monaco manager Jardim has previously said the club have no intention of letting Lemar leave this month but, after crashing out of the Champions League and seemingly having little hope in retaining their Ligue 1 title, he has changed his tone and admitted “the situation can change”.

“You know how crazy the transfer window is... a club like Monaco cannot say no,” Jardim said. “We haven’t discussed anything with Lemar because he already knows what we want. If I stay at Monaco for 10 years I would want Lemar to stay for 10 years.

“Today the market is open. You know very well how crazy the market is. There are offers that happen that a club like Monaco can’t say no to.

“The market, the numbers are very high so the situation can change at any time.”

Liverpool do not want to be in a situation where the Coutinho sale has left them short of options for the rest of the season and Lemar is targeted as someone to give Klopp even more attacking variety and create what may well be one of the fastest attacking line-ups in the world.