Arsenal have been handed a boost in their pursuit of Houssem Aouar after Lyon sporting director Juninho admitted he could be lured away from the club this summer.
The Gunners are said to be battling Man City for the midfielder, who has caught the eye in Ligue 1 for Lyon this season.
The French club are said to be asking for a fee of around £54million for the 22-year-old as interest grows around Europe.
The midfielder has played 39 times in all competitions for the French side so far this season, scoring nine goals and assisting a further eight.
And Juninho has offered hope that the Gunners could be able to secure a transfer this summer.
“In the absence of arrivals, I rather think that there will be departures,” he told RMC Sport.
“Houssem Aouar? When you have great players in the squad, it is quite logical that other bigger teams with greater economic power come to seek the players.
“There is a risk of losing important players. If we lose important players, I have already spoken with the president, we will have the right to balance the workforce.”
While Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas revealed recently Aouar was not pushing for a move despite interest in his services.
“Houssem has not said he wants to leave,” he said. “We want to try to keep him even though the interest is considerable. There are no negotiations ongoing.”
