The French playmaker is said to have agreed to join the Gunners but there is a catch.

Arsenal's interest in Houssem Aouar is no secret. The Gunners are in dire need of a creative midfielder and have identified the Lyon sensation as the ideal target – for obvious reasons. According to the latest rumors, the north London giants have made huge advancements in their pursuit of the Frenchman.

Aouar was one of the standout players for Les Gones in their unforgettable Champions League run which saw them reach the semi-final stage. The Ligue 1 side beat Juventus in the round of 16 before knocking out Man City in the quarter-finals and at the heart of those two inspirational victories was Aouar.

Both Guardiola and De Bruyne spoke highly of the Lyon talent after that UCL encounter and it is said that Arteta is a huge fans of the Frenchman. A deal for the midfielder is not going to be easy but according to reports out of France, the north London giants have agreed personal terms with the diminutive playmaker.

It is said that Houssem favored a move to Barcelona or Juventus, with the latter showing heavy interest in the playmaker. However, no concrete offers came from those two European giants and the player thus agreed to an Emirates Stadium switch.

"Houssem Aouar agrees to join Arsenal! The Lyonnais favored Barcelona and Juventus but no concrete offers [arrived]. Upcoming discussions between Lyon and the Gunners to refine the proposed amount." 

It should be pointed out that the biggest hurdle to overcome is not agreeing personal terms, but rather striking a deal with Lyon and their president Jean-Michel Aulas, who is a difficult man to negotiate with. 

The Les Gones made a tweet regarding this matter not too long ago. In it, he all but confirmed an official bid has been made by Arsenal. However, he stressed that it was too far off the club's valuation, adding that he expects Aouar to play against Lorient on Sunday and lead the club back into the Champions League this season. 

It should be noted that Aulus made similar remarks a few years back when the Gunners were in pursuit of Lacazette only for the attacker to inevitably end up at London Colney. Is this another ploy by the Lyon president to drive the price tag up or will Aouar end up remaining at the Parc Olympique Lyonnais this season? Only time will tell. In the meanwhile, the focus for Arteta's side is their upcoming Premier League clash with Liverpool, with Aubameyang and Co. looking to maintain their perfect start when they visit Anfield on Monday.

 

Match details, result and original broadcast info

Liverpool 3 - 1 Arsenal

September 28, 2020 3:00pmAnfield (Liverpool)

This match has ended. Below are the original Live broadcast details for this match.

Live TV coverage and streaming in United States

Peacock
arsenal.com
SiriusXM FC