Lyon president Jean Michel Aulas will consider selling excellent midfielder Houssem Aouar whenever the transfer window opens – but only if the player himself asks for an exit.
Liverpool have been credited with an interested in the 21-year-old on multiple occasions – including in the article by the Metro from where Aulas quotes are cited.
‘The player’s opinion is always essential. Keeping a player against their will is not reasonable,’ he said.
‘Houssem has not expressed the desire to leave.
‘Our will is to try to keep him even if the demands are high. There is no negotiation in progress.’
We really like Aouar as a player. He’s a mighty fine technician and is very elegant on the eye – especially when the ball is at his feet and he has hardly any time to make a decision.
But we only think Liverpool will go in for a player like Aouar should one of our current midfield crop depart.
Although Adam Lallana is likely to leave on the expiration of his contract, Curtis Jones will be his like-for-like replacement – and there’s still the likes of Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, Gini Wijnaldum, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita ahead of him in the pecking order.
Aouar’s price-tag is cited as £40m in the report, and we’re not sure the club will be in a position to spend that kind of sum on a player who at first, however talented, will be a sub.