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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Gareth Bicknell

Arsenal transfer target Houssem Aouar responds to question over his future

Arsenal transfer target Houssem Aouar gave a cryptic response when asked about a potential move away from Lyon, saying: "I haven't left yet."

Gunners boss Mikel Arteta needs to strengthen his midfield, and Aouar is believed to be on his radar having starred in Lyon's Champions League campaign.

But the 22-year-old was giving little away when asked about his future by L’Équipe.

The central midfielder was asked whether it would be difficult leaving Lyon without having had chance to say goodbye to the fans, with supporters not yet allowed back into stadia amid the coronavirus pandemic.

"I haven’t left yet. So I haven’t asked this question," he replied.

Houssem Aouar gave his interviewer short shrift when asked about the possibility of leaving Lyon (AFP via Getty Images)

Aouar was then asked if he felt it was a bad idea to leave Lyon ahead of next summer's postponed Euro 2020 finals, with selection for the France squad likely to be high on his agenda next season.

But the interviewer was given a similarly coy reply, with Aouar reiterating: "I haven’t left yet!"

According to Get Football News France, the interviewer then tried a different tack, saying: "We are going to ask the question again, in another way – today, what do you want to do?"

But Aouar gave his interrogator no joy, simply looking ahead to Lyon's Ligue 1 clash against Dijon on Friday.

Who should be Arsenal's top midfield target? Have your say here

Amadou Diawara could be a cheaper option than either Aouar or Thomas Partey (Getty Images)

"That one is very tough," the France under-21 midfielder laughed. "I want us to start the league well. And that we beat Dijon, to start with."

It has been reported that Champions League semi-finalists Lyon have slapped a £54million price tag on Aouar and want cash only - which may put him out of Arsenal's reach.

Atletico Madrid midfielder Thomas Partey has been on Arsenal's radar all summer, but the Gunners face a similar problem there, with the La Liga side demanding they pay his £45m release clause in full.

Roma star Amadou Diawara could be a cheaper option for Arsenal, with the 23-year-old potentially available for around £27m, according to Talksport .

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