Tottenham have offered Tanguy Ndombele to Olympique Lyon in a swap deal for Houssem Aouar, who is a target for Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool.
According to a report from ESPN, Tottenham have set their sights on Olympique Lyon midfielder Houssem Aouar and have offered club-record signing Tanguy Ndombele as part of a swap deal for the Frenchman.
A product of the Lyon youth academy, Aouar has grown into an integral member of the first-team in recent years and has racked up 170 appearances already despite being just 23 years old, scoring 31 goals and setting up 32 more. Heading into the new season, though, the Frenchman’s future with Les Gones has come under a cloud of doubt due to the club’s difficult financial situation.
Aouar’s potential availability for a transfer this summer, in a potentially cut-price deal at €25 million, has alerted a host of clubs across Europe, with the likes of Tottenham, Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool, all taking an interest.
Arsenal’s interest in Aouar is not something new. The Gunners have been tailing the 23-year-old for quite some time now and are seemingly willing to push for his signing this summer given that they are in desperate need of reinforcements in midfield. With Granit Xhaka on his way out and there being no option for the No. 10 role beyond young Emile Smith Rowe, someone like Aouar becomes a viable target for the Gunners.
As for Manchester United, Aouar could be viewed as a replacement for compatriot Paul Pogba. The Frenchman is in the final year of his contract with the Red Devils and could be sold in case he does not extend his deal. In addition to that, last summer’s marquee signing Donny van de Beek has also been linked with an exit, as is Jesse Lingard, potentially opening up a slot for Aouar in the midfield department.
Liverpool’s need for a new midfielder is no secret. The Reds lost Georginio Wijnaldum this summer after he ran down his contract and signed for Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer. With Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain hardly proving themselves as reliable over the past year, Jurgen Klopp & co. would benefit from adding a new central midfielder like Aouar, who could potentially be a cheaper alternative to Inter Milan’s Nicolo Barella.
Moving on to Tottenham, the Lilywhites need an upgrade over the likes of Harry Winks and Moussa Sissoko in the middle of the park, while Dele Alli’s underwhelming last season means that new manager Nuno Espirito Santo could very well do with more options in midfield heading into the next season. Aouar’s age, ability to play in multiple roles in midfield and exposure to the top-level make him an option worth considering.
To that end, Tottenham have now offered Tanguy Ndombele, Aouar’s former teammate and midfield partner, back to Lyon after the Frenchman’s sub-par two-year stint in north London. The Ligue 1 outfit are yet to respond to the proposal, although it is claimed that they are more intent on generating cash after missing out on Champions League football for next season.
With so many clubs after his signing, an exit definitely seems to be on the cards for Aouar. Only time will tell where he ends up this summer. As for now, Tottenham have made a proposal to beat Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United to his transfer.
