Olympique Lyonnais midfielder Houssem Aouar has put Manchester City on high alert after making comments about a possible departure from the Ligue 1 side.
According to a report from the Daily Mirror, Aouar spoke about his desire to play for Pep Guardiola although he insists he is in no rush to leave his current club. European giants in Barcelona, Liverpool and Real Madrid have all kept close tabs on the young French starlet who has impressed everyone with his performances both domestically and in Europe.
Earlier, Guardiola had hailed the 20-year-old as ‘Incredible’ after his City side drew 2-2 away at Lyon in the group stages of the Champions League.
Aouar under Guardiola: Exciting times for Manchester City
Aouar is a versatile youngster who features primarily in a defensive midfield role but has the capacity to thrive in advanced areas as well. The French youngster had 18 goal contributions, netting the ball on 7 occasions across all competitions and has been a vital player for Lyon in the recently concluded campaign.
The Lyon midfielder’s flexibility is perfect for managers who like to tinker with their formation every now and then. Aouar is a midfielder in Guardiola’s mould who can dribble, defend, attack, score, pass and retain possession. His gameplay and vision remain unparalleled, especially when compared to players of his age category.
However, the Lyon midfielder does lack aerial prowess as a result of his 5ft 7in frame but he makes up for it with his creativity on the field. Although a strong physical presence in the air remains useful especially in a defensive midfield role, the success of Ilkay Gundogan and to an extent, Bernardo Silva has shown Pep knows how to utilise players so that they can play at their maximum potential and succeed.
The 20-year-old can strike the ball from distance- many Barcelona fans will remember his blistering strike in the round of 16 first leg at Lyon Olympic Stadium which cannoned off the cross-bar. His positional awareness and wide skill-set feature him among the best young talents in world football.
The Sky Blues have the opportunity to sign another gem in Aouar who can be the face of their midfield for another 10 years. With the likes of David Silva and Fernandinho ageing, the addition of the 20-year-old could fortify the midfield and strengthen the core of young players been formed at the club.
Stat Courtesy: Transfermarkt, Whoscored