Juventus have reportedly stolen a march on Arsenal in the race to sign highly-rated Lyon midfielder Houssem Aouar.
The Gunners attempted to land the France international during the most recent transfer window, but after failing to fork out Lyon's asking price for Aouar, Arsenal opted to sign Thomas Partey from Atletico Madrid instead.
Arsenal continue to be credited with an interest in Aouar, but it appears that the Gunners will have to win a stiff battle with Serie A powerhouses Juventus in order to get a deal over the line.
According to Calciomercato, Juve manager Andrea Pirlo has taken a liking to Aouar, and the Serie A champions are willing to fork out £50m to land the 22-year-old next year.
The report claims that the Old Lady are eyeing a two-year loan deal with an obligation to purchase, but Juventus will cater to Lyon's demands and are prepared to table a concrete offer if the French giants reject that loan proposal.
Aouar reportedly landed himself in hot water with Lyon after refusing to take part in a warm-down session after last weekend's win over Angers, and the midfielder did not make Rudi Garcia's squad for Sunday's showdown with Reims.
Ben Knapton
