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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport

Houssem Aouar to Arsenal? Lyon star responds to latest transfer speculation

Houssem Aouar has played down speculation over his future amid recent transfer links to Arsenal.

Aouar, 22, has been linked with a move to the Premier League over the past two years following his impressive performances for Lyon.

The Under-21 France international captained the Ligue 1 club to the semi-finals of this season's Champions League, knocking out Juventus and Man City before falling to eventual winners Bayern Munich at the semi-final stage.

But despite Lyon's impressive run, their seventh-place Ligue 1 finish means they will not be playing Champions League football this season - and the financial impact of the coronavirus could tempt them to sell should a suitable offer come in.

With his exceptional passing, dribbling and vision combined with his leadership qualities, Aouar is seen as a natural fit for the likes of Arsenal and City, while Liverpool have been credited with a long-standing interest.

Speaking to L'Equipe, Aouar was asked whether it would be hard to leave Lyon without saying goodbye to a stadium of fans due to Covid-19 restrictions.

Aouar replied: "I haven't left yet, so I haven't asked this question."

The midfielder was then asked whether moving clubs a year before France feature in the European Championships - rescheduled from this summer to 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic - could impact his decision considering he has just received his first call-up for Didier Deschamps' senior team, to which he again replied: "I haven't left yet!"

(Getty Images)

Not to be deterred, L'Equipe asked what he wants to do here and now - and Aouar batted back: "That one is very tough... I want us to start well, and that we beat Dijon, to start with."

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