Reports: Juventus make formal approach to Lyon over Houssem Aouar transfer

In the latest chapter of the Houssem Aouar transfer saga this summer, it emerged this evening that Italian champions Juventus have also emerged as a potential destination for the young French midfielder.

According to RMC Sport journalist Mohamed Bouhafsi, Juventus formally contacted the French club last evening, but have not yet made an official transfer offer.

#Juventus called #Lyon yesterday for Houssem #Aouar. The Italian club wanted to know Lyon’s asking price & the status of negotiations with Arsenal. For the moment, Juve have not made an offer for the midfielder. Lyon awaits a new #Arsenal offer in the evening !

— Mohamed Bouhafsi (@mohamedbouhafsi) September 29, 2020

Bouhafsi also reported that Lyon are awaiting a bid from Arsenal this evening, with the French club expected to stick to their guns and not budge on their €50m valuation of Aouar.

Bouhafsi said that negotiations between Arsenal and Lyon are quite complicated... at the moment, and that there is a €12m gap between the two clubs' respective valuations of Aouar. With Lyon president Jean-Michael Aulas already making it clear that the club were in no dire need to sell players, it is clear that Aouar will only leave on Lyon's own terms.

Earlier today, Aulas sent a message to all clubs looking to sign players from Lyon, saying that all first-team players who don't leave the club by the end of Friday, will continue to remain at Lyon for the rest of the season.

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Juventus look to add Houssem Aouar to their squad

Juventus are reportedly in the race to sign Houssem Aouar

Aulas has maintained throughout the summer that Lyon would not be bullied into selling any of their players this summer. This evening, he made a further bold statement, saying that there was no reason for him to budge on his demands, especially given the price that Nicolas Pepe was sold to Arsenal for, last summer.

Le Progrès have what seems like a new quote from Lyon President Aulas this evening on the Houssem Aouar x Arsenal situation: "If [Nicolas] Pépé is worth the price that they paid for him, then Houssem, who is an international player, is worth more than €30m."

— Get French Football News (@GFFN) September 29, 2020

The Gunners paid a reported £72m to sign Pepe from Lille last summer, and Aulas has said that there is no reason that Aouar, a French international to boot, should be valued at a lesser price.

Juventus have lost Blaise Matuidi from their midfield ranks in the current transfer window, with the Frenchman having joined MLS side Inter Miami.

New boss Andrea Pirlo has started with Adrien Rabiot and Aaron Ramsey in the middle of the park, along with Weston McKennie.

Aouar would be a fascination addition to the Juventus midfield, if they are indeed going to proceed to sign him. They lost Miralem Pjanic this summer, in return for the services of Arthur Melo from Barcelona, and Aouar is of a similar profile.

So if Juventus do sign Aouar, Pirlo has an interesting task on his hands to fit his midfielders into the way he wants them to play.