According to France Football, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta wanted to sign Houssem Aouar to play him in the Kevin De Bruyne role.
Arteta was keen on signing the 22-year-old French midfielder from Lyon in the summer transfer window and had envisaged him as his De Bruyne in a 4-3-3 formation, according to the report in the French news outlet.
However, Arsenal Technical Director Edu was reportedly not as enthusiastic about the France international as Arteta was.
The report has added that the Gunners did not pay what Lyon were looking for, with the Premier League club having initially offered €34 million (£30.69 million) plus €3 million (£2.71 million) in add-ons.
De Bruyne is one of the best midfielders in the world and is a key figure for both City and Belgium.
Moving on
Aouar is one of the best young midfielders in Europe, and there is no surprise that Arsenal reportedly wanted him.
According to WhoScored, the 22-year-old has scored one goal in four Ligue 1 matches for Lyon so far this season, while during the 2019-20 campaign, the midfielder scored three goals and provided four assists in the league.
Perhaps Arsenal could reignite their interest in the Frenchman next summer, but for now the Gunners have to move on and Arteta needs to work with the players he has in his squad.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
