Lyon ‘reject Arsenal offer of Matteo Guendouzi plus cash for £44m-rated Houssem Aouar’ as Mikel Arteta looks to bolster midfield while offloading Gunners outcast
- Arsenal have reportedly seen an offer for Houssem Aouar rejected by Lyon
- The 22-year-old is attracting interest after an impressive season in Ligue 1
- The Gunners have reportedly offered Matteo Guendouzi plus cash for the star
- Lyon value Aouar at £44m while Arsenal are looking to offload Guendouzi
Lyon have knocked back a bid from Arsenal for star man Houssem Aouar, with reports in France suggesting the Premier League side offered Matteo Guendouzi plus cash for the midfielder.
The 22-year-old is on the radar of a number of clubs across Europe, having turned out impressive performances for Champions League quarter finalists Lyon this season.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is looking to bolster his squad for the 2020-21 campaign, and has identified his midfield as a key area to strengthen as the Gunners look to break into the top four.
Arsenal have reportedly made a player plus cash offer for Lyon star Houssem Aouar
The 22-year-old has impressed for the Ligue 1 club and is on the radar of a host of clubs
And according to L’Equipe, the north London club have made an approach for Aouar, offering outcast Guendouzi and cash in exchange for the £44m rated midfielder.
However, that offer was rejected by the Ligue 1 club, although they have admitted that the 22-year-old could leave the club this summer.
Sporting director Juninho told RMC Sport: ‘Houssem Aouar? When you have great players in the squad, it is quite logical that other bigger teams with greater economic power come to seek the players.
‘There is a risk of losing important players.
Arsenal have seen an offer of Matteo Guendouzi plus cash rejected by the French club
Mikel Arteta is looking to bolster his squad as they look to break into the top four next season
‘If we lose important players, I have already spoken with the president, we will have the right to balance the workforce.’
Arsenal are eager to offload Guendouzi this summer, with the midfielder out of favour under Arteta. The pair reportedly came to blows during a warm weather training camp, while his antics at Brighton – where he grabbed Neal Maupay by the throat – left the Arsenal boss unimpressed.
The Gunners value the young midfielder at £40m, who has been training away from the first team in the latter part of the 2019-20 season.
Aouar has scored nine goals and provided eight assists from 39 outings for the French side this season.
