- 18 Apr 2024
Arsenal’s bid for Houssem Aouar ‘not high enough’, say Lyon
Paul Macdonald
- Updated: 19 May 2021 15:43 BST
- 2 min read
Lyon general manager Vincent Ponsont has stated that Arsenal’s bid to sign Houssem Aouar from the club in the summer transfer window failed because their bid was ‘below market value’.
The Gunners were heavily linked with a move for the impressive playmaker for much of the window, and it was widely accepted that the deal would eventually be completed.
But while Arsenal were able to get a deal for Thomas Partey over the line, Aouar ultimately stayed in France, leaving the Premier League side frustrated.
And speaking to L’Equipe, Ponsont claimed that despite their desire to sell the 22-year-old, Arsenal’s bid just wasn’t good enough.
He said: ““We had three big clubs for him [Aouar]. The first one was more for next season.
“The second one was related to the departure of a player, and with this club, we could have come to an agreement. The third club was Arsenal, who offered below the market value.
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“We discussed it with the player’s entourage, and together we took the decision to say no. The priority for us was clearly to keep the team competitive. For us, the market was over, but the coach told us that we were missing a lateral defender and then a central defender.”
It’s likely that given the economic circumstances in French football, who are in dispute with the TV network Mediapro over payments for broadcast rights, Arsenal will return for a successful bid either in January or next summer.
