Arsenal to launch bid to sign Lyon star Lucas Paqueta

Arsenal are ready to launch a bid to sign Lucas Paqueta after technical director Edu held talks with the Lyon playmaker’s agents, according to Goal Brazil.

Mikel Arteta has been busy strengthening his squad this summer with goalkeeper Matt Turner, midfielder Fabio Vieira, winger Marquinhos and striker Gabriel Jesus all arriving over the past few weeks.

However, the Gunners boss is still in the market for further reinforcements and Paqueta has emerged as a target with widespread reports this week suggesting that Arsenal are eyeing a move for the Lyon star.

It looks like the north Londoners have stepped up their interest as Goal Brazil are now reporting that Arsenal’s technical director Edu has held talks with Paqueta’s agents and informed them of their intention to submit a formal proposal.

The news outlet says Newcastle United are also eyeing the South American but are yet to table any offer, so Arsenal could face stiff competition from the Premier League rivals.

Huge fee

However, any potential deal isn’t going to come cheap as Goal Brazil suggests that Lyon are demanding around £67m [€80m] for Paqueta’s signature this summer.

Arsenal hope to agree a fee well below Lyon’s valuation but the 24-year-old still has three year left to run on his contract contract so the Ligue 1 outfit are under no pressure to sell any time soon.

Having started out life at Flamengo, Paqueta joined AC Milan in 2019 and spent just one season in Italy before moving to Lyon in the summer of 2020 in a deal worth £17m [€20m].

The Brazilian international is now a key player in Peter Bosz’s side, providing 11 goals and 7 assists in his 43 appearances last season, so he’d certainly bring a real threat to Arsenal’s squad if he makes a move to the Emirates Stadium.

However, Paqueta is predominantly used as a No.10 in the central attacking midfield position – which is an area Arsenal appear well stocked in – so their reported interest comes as something of a surprise.

Martin Odegaard is Arteta’s preferred choice in the No.10 role, Emile Smith Rowe is also deployed in that position at times while Arsenal have just splashed out £35m on Fabio Vieira – who also operates from the attacking central midfield positions.

Therefore, it would be a shock if Arteta was ready to spend another huge sum – potentially upwards of £60m – on another central attacking midfielder. Although Paqueta is also capable of playing from the right wing if needed, so perhaps Arteta plans to use him out wide.

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We’ll have to wait and see how things develop but Paqueta would be another exciting addition to the Arsenal squad if they are able to get a deal done this summer.