Arsenal have reportedly submitted a new offer for Lyon star Houssem Aouar. The Gunners have had a longstanding interest in the midfielder and are keen to land him this summer.
According to le10Sport, Arsenal have now lodged a fresh bid for the Frenchman. The north London giants tried to sign the player last summer but were only prepared to offer €35 million for his services. Lyon swiftly rejected the offer as they were looking for a bid in the region of €60 million.
However, the Ligue 1 club's dismal financial situation right now could force them to sell Houssem Aouar for as little as €25 million this summer.
Houssem Aouar had a decent 2020-21 season with Lyon, scoring eight goals and providing four assists in 33 appearances in all competitions. He led the club to a fourth-place finish in Ligue 1. However, the midfielder narrowly missed out on a place in Didier Deschamps' France squad for Euro 2020 this summer.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is desperate to sign a top-quality midfielder to partner Thomas Partey at the center of the park in the upcoming campaign. The team suffered from a lack of goals and creativity from midfield last season. Martin Odegaard and Dani Ceballos have also returned to Real Madrid after the expiry of their respective loan deals with the Gunners.
Mikel Arteta has, therefore, prioritized the signing of a creative midfielder this summer. Houssem Aouar's passing, vision and eye for goal make him an ideal player for Arsenal.
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Arsenal could face stiff competition from Juventus and PSG in the race to sign Houssem Aouar
Houssem Aouar has attracted the attention of a number of top clubs thanks to his consistent performances for Lyon over the years.
Juventus and PSG reportedly expressed an interest in signing the midfielder last summer but were put off by Lyon's €60 million valuation of him.
Given that Aouar could now be available for €25 million, the two clubs are likely to reignite their interest in the Frenchman.
This could prove to be an obstacle for Arsenal in their pursuit of the Lyon star. Unlike Juventus and PSG, the Gunners will not be able to provide the player with a chance to play Champions League football next season.
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