Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal remain interested in Andre Onana despite the goalkeeper being close to a move to Lyon, according to Voetbal Primeur.
What’s the story?
L’Equipe are reporting that Onana, strongly linked with Arsenal, has agreed personal terms with Lyon.
The Ajax goalkeeper is ready to sign a five-year contract with the French club.
However, that depends on whether Lyon and Ajax are able to agree on a transfer fee.
Ajax want £9 million for the 25-year-old, but Lyon are willing to offer £5 million plus bonuses.
Voetbal Primeur has quoted Onana’s agent, Albert Botines, as saying that Ajax and Lyon are in talks over the Cameroon international goalkeeper.
Interestingly, the publication has claimed that Arsenal and Inter Milan are ‘still’ on the hunt for the Ajax star.
This suggests that the Gunners and the Italian champions are not giving up on signing Onana.
Fabrizio Romano claimed in June that Arsenal want to sign Onana in the summer transfer window,
The Gunners reportedly consider the goalkeeper as a ‘perfect’ signing.
Complicated for Arsenal
As reported by Goal, Onana is banned at the moment and will not be able to play until November.
However, the goalkeeper will be able to start training again in September.
This means that Arsenal would be without Onana – if they signed him – for the opening weeks of the new season.
Now, if Bernd Leno stays at Arsenal, then, of course, the North London club could sign Onana now and wait for him to play again in November.
However, if Leno leaves – and reports suggest that the German wants to – then Arsenal simply have to sign a goalkeeper this summer who can hit the ground running.
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