Arsenal are very likely to make a second bid for Lyon midfielder Houssem Aouar before the transfer window shuts, according to the Guardian‘s Fabrizio Romano.
Earlier in the summer, the Gunners offered a part-exchange deal including Matteo Guendouzi which was turned down. Lyon are demanding €60m (£55m) for the 22-year-old and Romano says a new offer would have to be financed by selling a number of fringe players:
“Obviously the club that is working to sign Aouar is Arsenal. We have to say that Arsenal are convinced that if they could sell some players, and they have many in [Sead] Kolasinac, Sokratis [Papastathopoulos] and [Lucas] Torreira, many players to sell or loan out in the last two weeks, they can try again for Aouar.”
“Lyon are asking for €60million (£55m), so it’s complicated but the player would be ready to join the Premier League, would be ready to join Arsenal. The player would like to come to the Premier League and to join Arsenal but for now there are no negotiations. In July, they offered Guendouzi as part of the deal and they didn’t find an agreement. Now it’s up to Arsenal if they sell players, I am convinced [they will make another offer].”
Romano has, however, shut down claims that Arsenal will look to sign both Aouar and Atletico Madrid’s Thomas Partey. Responding to a tweet on Wednesday, the Italian journalist said a double signing was extremely unlikely to happen:
no mate, I didn’t said it. I always said that is 90% impossible to see both at Arsenal on this summer. I said they’re in contact with both agents, that’s different.
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) September 23, 2020
With Atletico Madrid playing hardball on Partey, it does appear as though Aouar is the more realistic signing at the moment. With the France Under 21 international seemingly interested in a move to the Emirates, it should help negotiations run smoothly once funds have been raised.