Arsenal technical director Edu has ruled out the possibility of his side making a move for Lyon's Lucas Paqueta this summer.
The Brazil international is being heavily tipped to leave the Groupama Stadium after his efforts could not help Les Gones qualify for Europe in the 2021-22 Ligue 1 season.
Paqueta amassed 11 goals and seven assists from 44 games in all tournaments, including nine strikes and six assists from 35 outings in Ligue 1.
However, Peter Bosz's side could only muster an eighth-placed finish in Ligue 1 and were eliminated 4-1 on aggregate by West Ham United in the Europa League quarter-finals.
Arsenal and Newcastle United have been the two sides most strongly linked with a move for Paqueta, but Gunners chief Edu has shot down rumours of his side making a move for the versatile attacker.
© Reuters
"I'm very respectful when I talk about Lucas (Paqueta). I'm a guy who likes him a lot. I've always liked him, since my time with Brazil's national team," Edu told TNT Sports, as quoted by ChronicleLive.
"He's had a great season; he was considered the best (foreign) player in the French league. But today, there really isn't any kind of talk, there's only my admiration for the player, because the squad today is, in the position he plays, very well-served in this regard."
As a result, Newcastle - who prised Bruno Guimaraes away from Lyon in January - could now ramp up their efforts to sign Paqueta for the 2022-23 season.
The former AC Milan attacker has already visited Tyneside to reunite with best friend Guimaraes and is understood to have made the journey to celebrate his compatriot's girlfriend's birthday.
Paqueta's appearance fuelled speculation surrounding a possible Magpies move, and Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas has confirmed that offers are on the table.
© Reuters
"There are offers for him. There are some players who can feel fully fulfilled in the project, and others who are not," Aulas recently told the press.
"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."
Paqueta still has another three years left to run on his Lyon contract, but the French side have allegedly lowered their financial demands and are ready to accept a bid of €40m (£34m).
Arsenal have already signed Fabio Vieira to compete with Martin Odegaard for the number 10 role, while Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah will battle for the striker's spot.
Jesus and Odegaard were both on target for the Gunners in Saturday's 4-0 triumph over Chelsea in the Florida Cup, which represented Arsenal's fifth win from five in pre-season.
