France international Thomas Lemar reaffirmed his commitment to French champions Monaco, after a move to Arsenal failed to materialise.
Premier League outfit Arsenal reportedly made a bid upwards of £90-million for Lemar, but the transfer was called off on Thursday’s deadline day.
Amid the transfer chaos, Lemar – also a target for Liverpool, according to reports – scored a stunning goal in France’s 4-0 rout of 10-man Netherlands in World Cup qualifying.
And the 21-year-old is glad to be returning to Stade Louis II after the international break.
‘I am a player of Monaco, I am very happy there,’ Lemar told Canal +.
‘Now I’m going to make a good season with my club, to try to progress and move forward in my career with Monaco.
‘I prepared for this game as usual. I do not lose my head, even if there are rumours. I was focused on my game, that’s all that mattered to me.’
Lemar and Monaco – who lost Kylian Mbappe, Bernardo Silva, Benjamin Mendy and Tiemoue Bakayoko during the transfer window – have made a flawless start to their title defence in Ligue 1, winning four successive matches to open the season.