Arsenal have supposedly been handed a major boost in their efforts to sign Lucas Paqueta from Lyon.
The 24-year-old was Les Gones' standout player in a difficult 2021-22 season, registering 11 goals and seven assists in 44 matches across all competitions.
Fifteen of those contributions came in Ligue 1, where Paqueta scored nine goals and set up six more, but Lyon failed to qualify for Europe.
As a result, a move to a club competing in the Champions League or Europa League has been strongly mooted for Paqueta, whose deal at the Groupama Stadium runs until 2025.
Arsenal and Newcastle United have both been credited with an interest in the former AC Milan man, but the Magpies would not be able to offer him the chance to play in Europe.
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Lyon were initially said to be holding out for a fee of €80m (£68.3m) for the Brazil international, but according to Media Foot, Les Gones have now softened their stance dramatically.
The report claims that Arsenal could now conclude a deal for Paqueta for half the price, with €40m (£34.1m) potentially being enough to bring him to the Premier League.
Paqueta is understood to have turned down a lucrative offer of an extension from Lyon due to his desire to play in the Premier League, but Arsenal are yet to make an official approach.
A previous report had stated that Gunners technical director Edu had informed Paqueta's representatives of Arsenal's interest in signing him, and the attacker believes that he can 'explode' in England.
Lyon manager Peter Bosz recently refused to rule out an exit for Paqueta, telling the press: "Lucas is a very important player, but it depends on what the player wants. I've already had a conversation with him, but that will remain between us."
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President Jean-Michel Aulas has also confirmed that offers have been tabled, adding: "There are offers for him. There are some players who can feel fully fulfilled in the project, and others who are not.
"Economically, we have the means to pursue our ideas and our objectives. The coach gave us his opinion and there is also what the players want to do."
Since arriving at the Groupama Stadium in 2020, Paqueta has gone on to register 21 goals and 13 assists in 77 appearances for Les Gones across all competitions.
Arsenal have already made four signings this summer in Matt Turner, Marquinhos, Gabriel Jesus and Fabio Vieira and are close to wrapping up a deal for Oleksandr Zinchenko.
Leicester City's Youri Tielemans also continues to be linked with a move to the Emirates and has allegedly told his friends that he wants to sign for Arsenal this summer.
Ben Knapton
