Aston Villa have reportedly opened talks with Lyon for a last-gasp deadline-day for Houssem Aouar after failing to land top target Matteo Guendouzi.
According to a report by Football Insider, Aston have turned their attention to Lyon’s versatile midfielder Houssem Aouar after missing out on Marseille enforcer Matteo Guendouzi.
Aston Villa have established initial contact with Lyon over a potential loan deal for Aouar, with negotiations over a late deadline-day move underway. Villa are likely to face competition for the 24-year-old French international, with a number of clubs around Europe thought to be keeping an eye on his situation.
Unai Emery’s first transfer window in charge at Villa Park has not been a particularly hectic one as of yet, to say the least. Alex Moreno and Jhon Duran are the only two permanent additions to have walked through the door, while Bertrand Traore is set to return from a loan spell at Istanbul Basaksehir to provide the necessary depth on the wings.
Emery is claimed to be far from finished with his transfer business as the deadline looms, with the former Villarreal boss insistent on getting a dynamic midfielder before the January transfer window slams shut.
The Villans had been strongly linked with Matteo Guendouzi in recent weeks, as it seemed he would be open to reuniting with his former Arsenal boss in this window. But Marseille have made their stance clear. The Ligue 1 outfit are unwilling to let their star midfielder leave this month, forcing Emery to look elsewhere. They are now believed to be “negotiating” a loan deal for another French midfielder in Lyon star Houssem Aouar.
The 24-year-old French international was regarded as one of the most talented young midfielders in Europe about a year ago and was a hot property in the transfer market, with clubs such as Arsenal and Chelsea lurking around him. However, his development has stalled lately, and he has struggled to hold down a regular starting berth with Lyon, having started just six league games this season.
With just under six hours to go until the transfer deadline at the time of writing, Villa will need to get their act together if they want to complete a deal in time. This could well be one to watch until the last minute, with Lyon also trying to land Chelsea’s forgotten midfielder Tiemoue Bakayako on a cheap deal, which could have a domino effect on Aston Villa’s pursuit of Aouar.
