Lyon midfielder Houssem Aouar in action. (Getty Images)
According to L’Equipe (h/t Daily Mail), Manchester City are interested in signing Lyon midfielder Houssem Aouar.
The 21-year-old Frenchman is highly rated by City boss Pep Guardiola, who is keen on landing him. Aouar, who has been at Lyon since 2009, first broke into the first-team setup in 2017 and has been a regular in the side ever since.
This season, he played in all of Lyon’s 25 league matches and scored three goals and as many assists. Overall, he featured in 37 matches for Lyon across all competitions this term and scored nine goals and provided seven assists respectively. The Lyon midfielder’s mere numbers are a testament to his talent.
City are set to lose their skipper David Silva who is set to leave the club at the end of the season. Silva has been a mainstay in City’s midfield for almost a decade, having joined the club back in 2010.
The Spaniard is a legend at the Etihad having won four Premier League titles, two FA Cups, and five League Cups. The 34-year-old’s departure would mean that City would only be left with creative midfielder Kevin de Bruyne to orchestrate their attacks from the middle.
De Bruyne has been in sensational form, scoring 8 goals and racking up an impressive 17 assists from 26 league games for Guardiola’s side. Considering his form in recent times, there is no doubt the Belgian is one of the top midfielders in Europe.
Even so, City will be left with a big void to be filled if Silva decides to leave. Hence, the talented and creative Aouar’s arrival seems like a welcome sign for City if they make a move for him.
Moreover, he can ease the burden on De Bruyne, giving him the freedom to play his game and make his attacking forays into the opposition box. However, Lyon have put a £43million price tag on Aouar’s head and it remains to be seen if City are ready to spill the cash on the young midfielder.
Having already made 133 appearances, scoring 24 goals and providing as many assists for Lyon at such a young age, there is no doubt regarding Aouar’s potential. Hence, City should up their interests and try landing the talented Frenchman.
City are set to lose veteran Silva this summer. Aouar, who has already proved his mettle at Lyon would be a good addition to fill the void. Moreover, he can develop into a world-class midfielder under the guidance of Guardiola if City approach him.
