Liverpool are “greatest probability” for £30m Lyon midfielder Houssem Aouar

Liverpool are claimed to have the “greatest probability” of signing Lyon midfielder Houssem Aouar this summer, with the 23-year-old valued at up to £30 million.

Aouar has returned to the Reds’ radar this transfer window, with Jurgen Klopp seeking a replacement for Gini Wijnaldum, who has joined PSG.

The Frenchman has been linked with a move to Merseyside on a variety of occasions in recent years, with it believed that he is a long-term target for the club’s recruitment staff.

Now, the stars may have aligned for both Aouar and Liverpool, with the player open to leaving Lyon and a spot opening up in Klopp’s squad.

ESPN‘s Julien Laurens claimed last week that Liverpool had joined Arsenal, Tottenham and Man United in pursuit of the one-cap France international, with his price tag set at just £21.3 million.

French outlet Le10Sport have doubled down these reports soon after, though they have now asserted that Lyon would only accept a bid of between £25.9 million and £30.1 million.

This is allegedly due to new Lyon manager Peter Bosz telling the club’s owners that he “really wanted to keep his player,” with president Jean-Michel Aulas subsequently informing Bosz he would not sell if “the transfer offers were not up to his expectations.”

Lyon could not “refuse a transfer” in the region of £30 million, though, and Bosz would be “behind the club’s decision to sell him.”

For various reasons, United, Spurs and Arsenal are all ruled out of the immediate running, with Le10Sport claiming that Liverpool have “the greatest probability” of signing Aouar.

“The price of his transfer should not be a concern if Liverpool ever decided to [bid],” it is added, as – interestingly – they claim the Reds “don’t have to sell to buy.”

The notion of a sell-to-buy window has been repeatedly stressed when it comes to Klopp’s plans for the summer, though it remains questionable whether that is the case.

More likely is that Liverpool are simply biding their time, having already landed their priority target in Ibrahima Konate, while thinning out the numbers with sales of Marko Grujic, Taiwo Awoniyi and Kamil Grabara.

Konate featured alongside Aouar in the Under-21 Euros already this summer, and would no doubt welcome his compatriot to Anfield were a deal to transpire.