Arsenal had a bid of £35 million for the services of Houssem Aouar rejected by Olympique Lyon, and according to The Times, they are currently considering a new, improved offer.
Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas, a man said to be extremely difficult to negotiate with, apparently revealed that Arsenal’s offer was far too low. The Ligue 1 side value the midfielder closer to £55m (€60m). Aouar himself is believed to be keen on the move, but there is obviously a long way to go in terms of negotiations between the two clubs.
Aulas also said that he’s counting on the 22-year-old, whom he perceives as one of the most exciting young talents in Europe at the moment, to be the leader of the Lyon team in 2020/21, and help them return to the Champions League the following season. This term, they won’t be playing in Europe at all, having finished last season in seventh place in the French top flight.
Nonetheless, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is desperate to reinforce the middle section of his team before the ongoing transfer window ends next Monday, and he appears to have urged the hierarchy of the north-London club to make another effort to bring the 22-year-old Frenchman, who also has an Algerian passport, to the Emirates.
Aouar was born in Lyon and has never played for another club. Last season he made a total of 41 appearances in all competitions. Eight of those came in the Champions League as the team reached the semifinals where they were beaten by eventual trophy winners, Bayern Munich.
