Liverpool Handed Boost in Pursuit of Monaco Ace Thomas Lemar Following Coutinho Departure

Liverpool have received some positive news in their search for a replacement for Philippe Coutinho, after Monaco manager Leonardo Jardim hinted that Thomas Lemar could be prised away from the French side in January.

Jardim had claimed last week that Monaco were "not in the habit" of selling during the winter transfer window, but that stance now appears to have changed.

The Liverpool Echo quote Jardim as telling the French press:  “We are not used to selling in the winter.

“But the transfer window lasts until the end of the month and many things can happen.”

French international Lemar was the subject of £90m pound bid from Arsenal on the final day of the summer transfer window, and is also thought to have attracted interest from Premier League champions Chelsea.

Lemar has made 13 appearances in Ligue 1 this season scoring twice, but the principality club have struggled to defend their title following the departures of high profile players such as Benjamin Mendy, Bernardo Silva, Kylian Mbappe and Timoue Bakayoko, and currently sit nine points adrift of PSG at the midway point of the season.

The French side have also dropped into the Europa League after finishing third in their Champions League group behind Porto and Besiktas, with Liverpool set to face Porto in the tournament's Round of Sixteen in February.