Arsenal Rumors: Houssem Aouar's New Price Tag Good News For Gunners

Arsenal was handed a major boost in its pursuit of Lyon star Houssem Aouar, according to a report.

If previous reports are to be believed, the Gunners came close to signing Aouar last summer. It is said that the player’s rate became the primary reason why a deal never came to fruition.

Now, things could finally go in favor of Arsenal should the club decide to launch another bid for Aouar as the Ligue 1 star’s price tag has been significantly reduced, French outlet L’Equipe reported in its May 8 edition.

With two years still left in his contract with Lyon, Aouar, who was previously worth €60 million ($73 million), is now likely to be available for half the said figure, the report said. International Business Times could not independently verify this information.

Apparently, “the cards are completely reshuffled,” and while the Ligue 1 side isn’t considering selling Aouar at the moment, the report noted that the next transfer window could be its last chance cash in on the midfield star for a “good price.”

Aouar, per the report, will be “attentive” to possible offers despite not being as determined to leave Lyon as he was in the past.

It can be recalled that Arsenal completed the transfer of Thomas Partey in October 2020 as an immediate solution to the need to intensify the midfield.

In the next transfer window, the Gunners are expected to lure another well-rounded midfielder with Real Madrid’s Isco as one of the potential targets, Spanish outlet Defensa Central reported, citing unnamed sources.

Apart from Aouar, Isco has also been on Mikel Arteta’s radar since January, and the report stated that the Gunners boss has “requested” to make an offer for both players.

However, the English Premier League side couldn’t afford to sign both of the aforementioned midfielders because of the money it had spent on Partey’s transfer. In that case, should Arsenal push through with a move, the club would have to pick between Isco and Aouar, the report noted.

The older Isco, whose price tag is yet to be known, is believed to be falling down Zinedine Zidane’s pecking order and is expected to be less expensive than Aouar.

The 29-year-old has yet to make his mark in Real Madrid this season, having started in only eight of his 23 La Liga appearances. Many are assuming that Isco will fancy a move away from Bernabeu and take his talents elsewhere at the end of the season.