ARSENAL are reportedly lining up a bid for Lyon’s Houssem Aouar next summer after falling short this year.
The Gunners are getting their list of targets for the summer transfer window drawn up ahead of time.
⚠️ Read our Arsenal live blog for the latest news from The Emirates
Arsenal are expected to launch another bid for Lyon’s Houssem Aouar next summerCredit: AFP
And the Lyon attacking midfielder is still on manager Mikel Arteta’s wishlist after interest earlier this year, according to The Athletic’s David Ornstein.
Local lad Aouar, 22, has risen through the ranks at Lyon and was named in the Champions League squad of the season last year.
He was pivotal in Lyon’s run to the semi-finals, where they beat Juventus and Manchester City before losing to Bayern Munich.
Ornstein added that the Gunners are also after a right-sided centre-back where there could be a potential shortage in the squad.
He said: “I’m not sure about an attacking midfielder coming into Arsenal in January.
“What I am hearing is that Arsenal are already well ahead in their planning for the window of summer 2021 & talks are taking place about potential recruits.
“The sense I get is that they would be looking, understandably, to bring in a creative attacking midfielder in that sort of No 10 role but perhaps who could operate towards the right as well because they’re fairly well stocked on the left.
“They pursued the signing in the summer of Houssem Aouar of Lyon, so I don’t imagine that interest would necessarily go away.
“The other position I’ve heard a little bit about is the right-sided central defender.
“If David Luiz & others were to go, then there could be a bit of a shortage there.”
DREAM TEAM SELECTOR
WIN your share of a huge jackpot by simply picking one winning Premier League team each Gameweek.
But here’s the twist: you can only pick each team once!
Click HERE to play Dream Team Selector.
Arsenal failed to sign Aouar in the summer because their offer was “below market value”, according to Lyon chief Vincent Ponsont.
Ponsont revealed THREE clubs were chasing Aouar in the summer.
And he claimed Arsenal offered too little, even considering they were willing to give them a “discount” due to the financial repercussions of coronavirus.
Ponsont told L’Equipe: “We had three big clubs for him. The first one was more for next season.
“The second one was related to the departure of a player, and with this club, we could have come to an agreement.
“The third club was Arsenal, who offered below the market value.
“We discussed it with the player’s entourage, and together we took the decision to say no.”
Arteta says Arsenal are inconsistent and something needs to be improved
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
