During the recent January transfer window when it was open across all domestic European leagues, French Ligue 1 midfielder Houssem Aouar was a regular feature on the rumour mill. The 24 year old French born Algerian found himself heavily linked with a move away from Lyon, and AS Roma were one of the clubs heavily linked with having a serious interest in him.
As Roma fans know, it seems that manager Jose Mourinho cannot have truly been that interested in reportedly battling with English Premier League sides Manchester United and Arsenal for his services, and ultimately no move materialised before the transfer window slammed shut at the end of January and our best odds sort of showed that at the time.
Whilst things have understandably gone a little bit quiet, Aouar has not really left the headlines in recent weeks, but the latest rumours suggested a very real interest from German Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt.
German radio station, Sport 1, had recently claimed that the player had now struck an advanced agreement with the team to join them as a free agent when his current contract comes to an end next summer.
They further claimed that this supposed advanced agreement would see him ready to officially sign a five million Euro deal with them come July.
The player himself, was however, quick to deny the claims made by the radio outlet and he took to social media via his official Twitter account to totally debunk and refute that any decisions on his future had been made, let alone any viable and legal contracts signed – given the pre contract options that are available to professional players who have entered the final six months of their existing deal.
“Some people know before me where I will play next season.”
With The Special One, Mourinho, still considered to be a very long term admirer of the player, if reports of his imminent departure to Germany are not correct – and it is fair to trust the word of the player himself here – then it could mean tentative discussions are taking place ahead of the summer given the financial advantages that come with a player falling naturally out of contract.
Former Chelsea, Manchester United and Serbian international midfielder Nemanja Matic obviously arrived over the summer, but at 34 years old, he is more of a short term gap, and former Newcastle United and Liverpool centre Gini Wijnaldum is obviously only around for the season having agreed a loan deal and has only just returned following a serious fibula injury.
A potential Aouar interest for the summer is not out of the question.
