Lyon’s Houssem Aouar has been tipped for a Premier League move for some time, with Arsenal seeing a bid turned down this week. Why is the midfielder in such demand?

Aouar’s performances since his Lyon breakthrough in 2017 have caught the eye either side of the English Channel, with his starring role in the French side’s run to the 2019/20 Champions League semi-finals, beating Juventus and Manchester City along the way, impressing in particular.

Both sides have since been heavily linked with his signature, but this weekend, Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas name checked Arsenal as the suitor who had put their money where their mouth is for the 22-year-old, albeit still not enough for him to convince to part ways with one of Lyon’s brightest home-grown talents – yet.

“As far as Aouar is concerned, I think Lyon are prepared to sell him,” Sky Sports News’ Kaveh Solhekol told Monday’s Transfer Show. “Arsenal are in a relatively strong position. The president is a very difficult man to negotiate with, and I think it would take at least £50m to get him.

“But people are telling me Lyon need to sell players to raise money, and they have a very good crop of youngsters in their youth system who they think are ready to play in the first team.”

Aouar ‘technically a very fine player’

There are plenty of reasons why the Gunners would go all out to make the creatively minded goal-scoring midfielder one of their own, even though he has not always hit the heights expected at the Groupama Stadium.

“He is technically a very fine player, with an excellent vision of the game,” Gael Berger, a journalist covering Lyon for French station Radio Scoop, told Sky Sports. “He’s always been able to create chances and make good decisions on the ball, as well as provide goals and assists.