Arsenal FC have been heavily linked with Lyon midfielder Houssem Aouar but the EPL side could miss out on the 22-year-old, according to ESPN.
The report claims: “Arsenal’s pursuit of Houssem Aouar is set to be complicated by the Lyon midfielder’s desire to wait for interest from Real Madrid and Barcelona to materialise this summer before deciding his next move, sources have told ESPN.
“Mikel Arteta remains an admirer of Aouar but sources have told ESPN that the player was surprised Arsenal did not make more of a concerted attempt to sign him and although he has not ruled out a move to Emirates Stadium, he is keen to explore other options.
“Those may include Madrid and Barcelona, both of whom have extensively scouted Aouar without making a formal offer.”
Will Houssem Aouar choose a move to Spain over Arsenal?
Houssem Aouar has caught the attention of a number of big European clubs during the 2020-21 season and so far he’s scored three goals and assisted three in the Ligue 1 for Lyon.
View this post on Instagram
The 22-year-old still has two years left on his current deal at the club but Lyon are trying really hard to hold onto him for the rest of the season.
It’s unclear if clubs like Real Madrid or FC Barcelona want to sign Houssem Aouar or not but with the player wanting to weigh out all the alternatives, Arsenal will find it really hard to get him on board during the ongoing transfer window.
The Lyon man isn’t the only creative player who’s been linked with a move to the Emirates this month and with him favouring a possible move to Spain instead of England, maybe it’s time for Mikel Arteta to shift his focus to the other targets.
Also to add another road block, Arsenal do not have the finances to secure a permanent move for Houssem Aouar this month so at best, the EPL side will only be able to offer a loan deal with an obligation to buy in the summer.