Lyon star available on a cut-price deal
According to Lequipe, Lyon playmaker Houssem Aouar is available for a nominal fee of €25-30 million.
The 22-year-old was heavily linked with the likes of Arsenal, Juventus and Paris Saint Germain last year, but any deal failed to materialize due to the French club’s asking price of around €50 million.
The Gunners tested Lyon’s resolve by making two bids for the French in September last year, with the second bid believed to be close to €38 million.
The President of the Ligue 1 side, Jean-Michel Aulas, later told Canal+, “There was a timid offer. We felt like they didn’t consider the fact that this is a player in the French national team.
He continued, “So, it was an offer that did not even make us consider making a sale.”
The London club then went onto completing the signing of Thomas Partey from Atletico Madrid on transfer deadline day.
However, the void of a central attacking midfielder was duly missed by Mikel Arteta, as the side went on one of the club’s worst starts in the League since the 1974/75 campaign.
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With the emergence of Emile Smith Rowe and the loan signing of Martin Odegaard, Arsenal looked a different prospect in the second half of the season.
But the Real Madrid loanee returned to the Spanish capital after the Premier League season concluded last weekend.
With the uncertainty revolving around Odegaard’s future, Arsenal are rationally keeping a close eye on other alternatives.
The North London outfit’s interest in Norwich star Emi Buendia is well documented. However, with the price at which Aouar is available, the Gunners should be seriously considering that option too.
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Lyon failed to make the Champions League for a second successive season, after Nice’s on loan signing William Saliba scored a 57th minute winner.
The loss meant the French side finished fourth, one place outside the Champions League qualification spot in Ligue 1.
Several reports in France say that OL are desperate to cut their losses due to the pandemic, and thus will listen to offers for their prized assets.
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