Houssem Aouar relishing ‘great season’ with Lyon and insists he is not disappointed after failed move to Arsenal

Attacking midfielder knows he’ll be in demand again next summer

Houssem Aouar won his first France cap this week (AFP via Getty Images)

Houssem Aouar says he has moved on from transfer talk this summer and is not perturbed by missing out on a move to Arsenal.

The Lyon playmaker was seemingly set for a move, but ultimately he - and Memphis Depay - both stayed at the Ligue 1 club as buying clubs juggled the ability to spend in different areas of the team and struggled to conclude the necessary outgoing deals.

Aouar isn’t worried about staying put, however, and says he’s focused on the task of getting his current club back up the table after a disappointing campaign in 2019/20.

“Of course I asked myself all the necessary questions [over leaving],” he said, as reported by the Mail.

"I am in the headspace to have a great season with my club and get back the points that we have lost.

"So of course we are going to try to do the best season and to try to put the team and the club back in its rightful place, at the top of France.

"Disappointed? I am the opposite. I am at home, in the club that I love, with my friends and my family.

“So certainly I have all my bearings and it is giving me even more motivation to have a good season and to bring the club back into the top places in France.”

Aouar is expected to again be in demand next summer, when the 22-year-old will have only two years left on his contract.

He made his senior France debut during the current international break, against Ukraine, and will be hopeful of keeping himself in the squad for next summer’s European Championships.