Arsenal could sign their new Cesc Fabregas in Lyon star Houssem Aouar amid Fabrizio Romano's exciting transfer claim.

What's the story?

Reports last summer suggested that Mikel Arteta's side were very much interested in signing the France under-21 international, but a deal failed to materialise before the end of the transfer window.

Romano has now delivered an update on where things stand with Aouar and Arsenal with just a couple of weeks remaining in the summer window.

He said (via Football.London): "It is a complicated situation on agent’s side because as they say from France, it’s true that there is some situation from agent’s side, and that’s why I would keep an eye on Aouar till the last day of the window because now still some rumours we have with Tottenham and with Arsenal.

"These two clubs are really interested in Aouar. Fabio Paratici wanted him one year ago when he was at Juventus. He had to make a decision between Aouar and Chiesa, they decided to go for Federico Chiesa."

Arsenal's new Fabregas

The £26m-rated Aouar, who has been lauded as an "exceptional talent" and "special" in the past, has the kind of midfield characteristics which make him very similar to a certain Fabregas.

In the 2019/2020 campaign, the Frenchman bagged nine goals and provided another ten assists, setting up a couple of goals in the Champions League quarter-finals against Manchester City.

That level of goal-scoring and creativity is what Fabregas brought to the table in his heyday, with the Spaniard scoring 15 goals and providing another 15 assists in the Premier League alone during the 2009/10 season at the Emirates Stadium.

When you look at their underlying stats over their careers, they are remarkably similar. As per WhoScored, Aouar averages 1.8 shots per game to Fabregas' 1.4, provides 1.2 key passes to the Spaniard's 2.1, and is fouled 1.4 times per match compared to the former Arsenal man's 1.1.

Just like Fabregas, the 23-year-old has also had experience of being a captain at a young age, having already worn the armband for Lyon on numerous occasions over the years.

While Martin Odegaard may have arrived from Real Madrid to fill that creative berth at the Emirates, Aouar could bring an added dose of creativity and goal threat from midfield too.

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