Real Madrid have reportedly launched a last minute attempt to hijack a deal for Arsenal transfer target Houssem Aouar.
Midfielder Aouar has been strongly linked with a switch to the Gunners, but the Premier League side have failed to meet Lyon’s asking price for the 22-year-old.
That hard nosed approach may have allowed La Liga giants Real to slip in and nab the Frenchman from under their noses.
According to French outlet L’Equipe, the Spanish side have thrown their hat in the ring for Aouar.
Zinedine Zidane is said to have initiated contact with Lyon for the France U21 international himself.
And the Los Blancos boss and would likely play a big role in persuading his fellow countryman to move to the Bernabeu.
It might be too little too late though as the deadline set by Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas for clubs to sign Houssem Aouar has now passed.
"We will tell the players that whatever will not be settled in terms of departures before Friday, there will be no more departures," Aulas told Telefoot at the start of this week.
"So for us the [closing] date of the transfer window will be Friday. I think I will propose it tomorrow (Tuesday) to Rudi Garcia and Juninho, because it's understandable.
"And all people of goodwill can see that there is something wrong [with the results of the team]. It can be because of that, but it can also be a lot of other things. In any case, from Friday, the players who have not left will not leave."
In any case, Arsenal and Real Madrid will have to work quickly if they want to secure a deal for Aouar as the international transfer deadline shuts on Monday.
