Arsenal’s latest bid for Lyon midfielder Houssem Aouar, which was worth a total of £44.4m, has been rejected as the French club hold out for their €60m (£54.7m) asking price, according to Arsenal Central sources.
Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas is happy to sell Aouar, however, the Frenchman has demanded that if Arsenal sign their star midfielder, then it will be on their terms, not those of Edu, and have urged the Gunners to raise their offer.
As it stands, the French club, who were Champions League semi-finalists last season, would accept bonuses of up to £4.7m and the remaining £50m upfront, however, Arsenal will hope to use Aouar’s desire to join the club as a way of getting the 22-year-old for less.
Arsenal are hoping to sign both Houssem Aouar and Thomas Partey for a combined fee of around £90m, as revealed by Arsenal Central, however this will rely on the club’s ability to sell players, with the likes of Sokratis, Lucas Torreira and Sead Kolasinac being pushed out for sale this summer. Once enough money has been raised, it is strongly believed that both will join the club.
Arsenal have already completed the purchases of Willian, Runarsson, Dani Ceballos and Gabriel this transfer window, however with Emiliano Martinez and youngster Sam Greenwood being the only sales to have generated a significant transfer fee this window, the club will need to step up their efforts to generate the funds they need.
The next week will be crucial for Arsenal as the club look to complete numerous deals for arrivals and departures at the Emirates. Due to the financial effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and the high wages players find themselves on, the Gunners have struggled to find buyers who are willing to pay a good transfer fee for their players.
Arsenal’s bid could act as a sign that the club has realised they need to hurry up if they want to secure their two top targets, however without any significant sales, the Gunners could struggle. Only time will tell…
