Arsenal learn Lyon’s huge Houssem Aouar asking price

Lyon Set £47.5m Houssem Aouar Asking Price

As stated, the asking price Lyon have set for the French international appears to be as it was from last season.

Can that really be believed? Aulas is a wily – that’s being nice – operator when it comes to transfer dealings, and his sky-high demands have to be taken with a pinch of salt. He’s previously spoken out on players he will refuse to sell in certain windows only to see them depart days later: Tanguy Ndombele, Alexandre Lacazette and Michael Essien to name a few.

Lyon will refuse to budge from their £47.5m (€55m) asking price, whether that’s with discounts or otherwise. All this despite the club recording losses of £96m – this figure a result of the financial implications of the coronavirus pandemic and a shortfall from TV rights – as well as requesting the players to take a 25% pay cut.

It comes across as classic negotiation tactics from the French side, who at this stage are launching a serious push for a first Ligue 1 title since 2008.

Helping them in their title charge is Juventus’ Mattia De Sciglio, who has featured 20 times for the club this campaign and is considered surplus to requirements in Turin. Despite what Lyon are demanding, Andre Pirlo’s side will attempt to include the defender and Federico Bernardeschi as part of their deal to lure Aouar to Serie A.

Arsenal attempted their own swap move when they offered Matteo Guendouzi as part of a deal. It didn’t get far.