Edu Can Target Three Houssem Aouar Alternatives At Lyon After Arsenal's £44.9m Transfer Talks

Arsenal could take advantage of a firesale at Lyon during the summer transfer window.

Having finished the 2019/20 Ligue 1 season in seventh place as well as losing in the Champions League semi-final against Bayern Munich, Les Gones will not be in Europe next season.

As a result, some of the club's most prized possessions are likely to move on before deadline day at the beginning of October.

The aim now is to continue working, immediately with Ligue 1," Juninho Pernambucano, the club's sporting director, told RMC Sport.

"There are no presents. We will have to work. If we continue like this, we will be back in this competition.

"When you are well paid, you need motivation every day, we are going to concentrate on Ligue 1. There are the basics.

There will be departures, but I am not worried. When you have players who play very well in a competition like this, like Moussa and Houssem...

"We will have to show the same spirit to be back in the Champions League next season."

Of the two names Juninho mentioned, Houssem Aouar has been heavily linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium and according to L'Equipe, the Gunners made an offer of cash plus Matteo Guendouzi for the 22-year-old midfielder last week.

However, there are a couple of issues standing in Arsenal's way.

One being they will have to match Lyon's valuation of €50million (£44.9m) and the other being that Juventus, as well as Manchester City are keen on Aouar's signature too.

With that said, Aouar is not the only Lyon player that could be on Mikel Arteta's radar this summer.

As per French football writer Jeremy Smith, L'Equipe have come up with their top 8 Lyon players in terms of value and there could be one or two bargains in there for the Gunners.

Jeff Reine-Adelaide, a former Arsenal player, is valued €25m (£22.4m), although the report doesn't state that the attacking midfielder will be put up for sale.

With that said, Memphis Depay's €20m (£17.9m) is due to having less than a year remaining on his contract at the Groupama Stadium and has been linked with a move to Arsenal in recent months.

A return to England for the ex-Man United star could see him take up a spot on the left-wing, thus allowing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to play more centrally.

Or could Moussa Dembele's €40m (£35.9m) valuation tempt the Gunners' technical director, Edu, to discuss more than just Aouar with his compatriot Juninho.

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