Arsenal target Thomas Lemar scores a SCREAMER for France
Lemar was heavily linked with a move to Arsenal all summer after his stunning performances to help Monaco to the Ligue 1 title last season.
The France international was subject to a club-record £92million bid from the Gunners on deadline day as they prepared for life without the wantaway Alexis Sanchez.
But the 21-year-old remained at Monaco and Daily Record journalist Castles thinks their failed move epitomised their terrible summer window.
Arsene Wenger only managed to sign striker Alexandre Lacazette in a club-record £52.7m and left-back Sead Kolasinac on a free transfer.
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Arsenal failed in £92m Thomas Lemar bid on deadline day
They embarrassed themselves publicly in their attempt to sign him
Duncan Castles
Castles said on the Transfer Window Podcast: "Arsenal had a terrible transfer window. A really shocking transfer window.
"Only one signing of significance, and one who in [Alexandre] Lacazette, for all his skills and finishing, is not a complete striker.
"Not a good aerial striker. Arsenal, in recent seasons, have moved towards an aerial game.
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"Their defence is a complete mess, [it] desperately needed strengthening and nothing done there apart from [Sead] Kolasinac who is only a partial solution.
"And then the horrendous mess they made of trying to sign Thomas Lemar on deadline day.
"Putting in a club-record bid when they didn't have a guarantee that Lemar would come to the club.
"Not only did they fail to get the player but they embarrassed themselves publicly in their attempt to sign him."