Liverpool have been handed a big boost in their pursuit of Lyon midfielder Houssem Aouar, who has been identified as a potential replacement for Gini Wijnaldum.

What's the story?

The Reds have been linked with the highly-rated 23-year-old throughout the summer as manager Jurgen Klopp looks to bolster his engine room options.

According to RMC Sport, (as relayed by Get French Football News), multiple Lyon players could be set to leave the club as director of sport Juninho looks to resolve an attitude problem within the dressing room.

They state that: "Juninho, in concertation with manager Peter Bosz, is now looking to sanction other players in the team for a lack of respect, rudeness and arrogance”.

Brazilian duo Marcelo and Thiago Mendes are amongst those expected to depart the Ligue 1 giants, while Aouar is another star who could follow the South American pair out of the exit door.

The report claims that the French playmaker could leave at a "lower price than has previously been asked for by the club," and that 18-year-old academy graduate Rayan Cherki and former Leicester City striker Islam Slimani are also being eyed for a potential departure.

Jurgen Klopp will be buzzing

Following Wijnaldum's decision to join Paris Saint-Germain at the start of the window, the Reds have been linked with a host of potential successors for the Netherlands international.

And Aouar could be the ideal candidate to do just that. In 172 appearances for his boyhood club, the technically gifted midfielder has scored 32 goals, providing a further 31 assists for his teammates.

The £37.8m-rated beast first caught the eye of English clubs when he put in a standout display against Manchester City in the Champions League back in 2018, earning praise from Pep Guardiola.

“Houssem Aouar is a very good player. He is incredible,” said the Spanish tactician.

“We talk a lot about (Tanguy) Ndombele, but Aouar is also excellent. He’s always very calm with the ball at his feet, with an excellent technical quality.”

Known predominantly for his dribbling skills and creativity, the Frenchman would bring a unique set of skills to this Liverpool squad, adding something different to the current options at Klopp's disposal.

If the enigmatic German coach can bring Aouar to Anfield, the youngster has the potential to propel the Merseyside outfit back to the summit of English football, and therefore, Klopp will surely be buzzing to learn of his reported availability.

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