Lyon midfielder Houssem Aouar in action. (Getty Images)
According to French publication L’Equipe (h/t Daily Express), Arsenal have made Lyon an offer of Matteo Guendouzi plus cash to sign Houssem Aouar.
The 22-year-old Aouar has had an incredible season with the Ligue 1 side, helping them reach the semi-finals of the Champions League recently. Young Aouar excelled with nine goals and ten assists from a total of 41 games last season for Lyon, proving his potential as one of the brightest talents emerging from France at the moment.
Despite his young age, Aouar has already played 137 matches for Lyon across all competitions and has 24 goals and 27 assists to his name. Meanwhile, Premier League side Arsenal are in the hunt for new midfielders in order to add dynamism and creativity to the side ahead of next season.
The report also claims that Arsenal technical director Edu has already approached Lyon about signing Aouar. However, the French side is yet to respond regarding Aouar’s situation, whom they valued at around £53million.
Arsenal, on the other hand, have had a difficult campaign last season despite the arrival of new boss Mikel Arteta. Though the Spaniard helped them clinch the FA Cup title, they managed to finish only eighth in the league table, suggesting there is clear room for improvement.
One of the major issues for Arsenal was the lack of a creative midfielder, which saw their star forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang having to score the bulk of their goals last season.
Newcomer Nicolas Pepe was the side’s highest assist-provider in the league with a mere six to his name. Star veteran Mesut Ozil looked a mere shadow of his former past.
The 31-year-old managed just two assists from 18 Premier League matches, which led to the German finally losing his first-team spot under Arteta. Also, apart from Ozil, Arsenal lack a creative midfielder in their midst.
Matteo Guendouzi has been put up for sale by Arsenal after clashing with manager Mikel Arteta a few months back. A regular in the side, the 21-year-old has not featured since then and the club now hope to use him in deals this summer.
Moreover, Arsenal already have six midfielders in their ranks including Guendouzi, meaning his departure won’t hurt them next season. That said, Arsenal must push ahead in their efforts to land Aouar as the side are in clear need of creativity in midfield at the moment.
It is evident that Arsenal have a dearth of playmakers in their ranks and Aoaur, who has proved himself at Lyon, would be a good option. He is just 22 and could prove to be an excellent replacement for Ozil if the latter chooses to depart anytime soon.
