Arsenal's summer transfer window has gone quiet lately. After completing the deals for Fabio Vieira and Gabriel Jesus, many were expecting the north London giants to wrap up their remaining business swiftly as the club were on the hunt for the likes of Leeds' Raphinha, Ajax's Lisandro Martinez, and Leicester's Youri Tielemans.
However, the Brazilian winger is all but headed to Barcelona, the Argentine defender is more likely to join Manchester United this summer, while the aforementioned interest in Leicester's Belgian midfielder has cooled down, leaving fans wondering as to who the Gunners will target next.
That answer has finally arrived courtesy of Goal, with the well-known news outlet reporting that Mikel Arteta's side are set to pursue a highly-rated Ligue 1 talent. That player is none other than Lyon sensation Lucas Paqueta, who if signed, would become the fourth Brazilian at the Emirates Stadium.
According to Goal, the Premier League heavyweight are keen on brining the Selecao ace to the English capital and while no formal offer has been made for the Parc Olympique Lyonnais midfielder, Edu has informed the player's camp that they will launch a raid for Paqueta.
However, there is one huge stumbling block: Jean-Michel Aulas and his huge asking price. According to the report, the Lyon president wants a whopping 80 million euros, which today translates to $80M, for the 24-year-old.
Goal add that it will be difficult for Les Gones to receive that amount for the player after failing to qualify for the UEFA Champions League for the second consecutive season. Nonetheless, Aulas is notorious for being a tough negotiator, meaning Arsenal will be in for a tough ride if they launch a bid for the Brazilian.
Additionally, another issue has risen from this transfer link and that is confusion from the Emirates Stadium fan base. While Lucas is an undeniable talent, many supporters were left surprised by the club's interest in another creative midfielder given the presence of Emile Smith Rowe, Martin Odegaard, and the recently-signed Fabio Vieira, who are all considered to be no.10s.
Nonetheless, only time will tell if there is truth behind these rumors and whether Arsenal's pursuit of Paqueta will come to fruition.
