The latest word stemming from the French media this weekend suggests that Arsenal have seen a significant proposal for Lyon star Houssem Aouar turned down.
Lyon standout
Speculation surrounding the future of gifted midfielder Aouar has of course been rampant this summer.
The 22-year-old enjoyed another stellar campaign at the Groupama Stadium in 2019/20, playing a key role as Lyon bounced back from a disappointing Ligue 1 finish to shock the masses en route to the Champions League’s semi-finals.
Aouar proved the touch of class required in the middle of the park for Rudi Garcia’s men, linking defence to attack with guile and class.
All told, across 41 appearances in all competitions, the Frenchman racked up an impressive 9 goals and 10 assists.
Oh no, Dybala 🙈
Aouar did him dirty 💪pic.twitter.com/71ElkDO2Re
— Goal (@goal) February 27, 2020
Gunners rebuffed
As such, it has since come as little surprise to see some of European football’s heavyweights tipped to swoop for Aouar.
Until recently, the clubs most persistently linked, meanwhile, had been Manchester City and Juventus.
Recent weeks, however, have seen a new suitor take centre stage in the race for Aouar’s services.
The outfit in question? Arsenal.
Late last month, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano even went as far as to assure that the Gunners were readying an assault for the Lyon standout, with Mikel Arteta ‘in love’ with Aouar.
And, if the latest word emerging from the French media over the last 24 hours is to be believed, then such an offer appears to have been forthcoming.
As per a report from RMC Sport, Arsenal sent a proposal to Lyon, worth a considerable €35 million, along with the services of an unnamed player.
Les Gones, however, stood firm, rejecting the bid out of hand, as the battle for Aouar’s signature rumbles on:
‘Regarding Houssem Aouar, OL would have received an offer from Arsenal to 35 million euros plus a player. It was refused.’
Arsenal ‘make £31.2m PLUS player bid’ for Lyon star Houssem Aouar https://t.co/jC2KadWdnw
— The Sun Football ⚽ (@TheSunFootball) September 6, 2020
