According to the reports from Calciomercato, Manchester City are in pole position to sign Lyon’s Houssem Aouar. The midfielder is also attracting interest from Serie A heavyweights Juventus. Chelsea and Manchester United are also said to be keen on him. It is believed that Aouar’s price tag is expected to rise further from €45m which was set in the 2019 summer window.
The midfielder has come up from Lyon’s academy. Aouar is also a France u-21 international. The 21-year-old has five goals and five assists in all competitions this season. The youngster has made over a hundred appearances for Lyon already, and he has established himself as a crucial member of the first team.
Why are City on the lookout for a midfielder?
Manchester City will need to add some firepower in the middle as they are set to lose the services of David Silva who will depart from the club after completing his ten years. Phil Foden is seen as Silva’s natural heir, but it would be advisable for City to bring in a new midfielder.
Gundogan is 29 right now, and Fernandinho is also not going to be around for long. Hence, the club will need to add a bit more of firepower in midfield. We believe a January move might be unlikely to go through, but City could look to get Aouar in the summer.
Aouar and Tanguy Ndombele had built a formidable partnership last season, and the former was involved in creating or scoring 18 goals. Ndombele moved on to Tottenham Hotspur last summer.
What can Aouar bring to the table?
The Frenchman is an attack-minded midfielder, and he is known for his ability to drive the ball forward and his dribbling skills. Aouar showcases quick feet which allows him to get out of tight spaces. He is also known for his ability to retain possession, and he hardly gives the opposition a chance to get him off the ball.
There is no doubt that due to his playing attributes, he would be a good fit in the Guardiola system. He is also someone who has the vision to unlock the opposition defence with a killer pass. City often have to play against teams who sit back deep and defend in numbers and in those situations, Aouar abilities could come in handy.
The midfielder is on the lighter side so he could be troubled by the physicality of the Premier League. However, he is still 21, and he can work on his overall strength to thrive in the English top flight. We believe that City should look to sign him to get more options and competition for places in midfield.
