Liverpool join Man Utd and Arsenal in bargain transfer battle as Klopp has stumbling block

Liverpool have joined Manchester United and Arsenal in the battle for Houssem Aouar, who is also attracting attention from Tottenham. The midfielder looks set to leave Lyon this summer.

Aouar has plenty of interest in his services this summer, with a move to the Premier League a very real opportunity.

Liverpool are the latest club to ramp up their efforts to sign the Lyon star, with United and Arsenal strongly linked.

It comes after a fine season for the midfielder with the Ligue 1 outfit having to sell their best players to balance the books.

Aouar was priced at £50m last summer but that has been halved after all the clubs in the top division were left out of pocket when a TV deal fell through.

Combined with a year without fans and a lot of teams are feeling the squeeze.

Lyon are one of them and their situation has alerted clubs from across the world with Aouar top of the wish list – a player that Mikel Arteta and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer are desperate for.

It has led to a four-way battle for his signature, with Liverpool now entering the fray along with Tottenham.

However, Jurgen Klopp may see his efforts already scuppered before a phone call has even been exchanged.

That is because there is bad blood between Liverpool and Lyon after the failed bid to sign Nabil Fekir back in 2018 – which crashed in flames at the eleventh hour.

As a result, the French club have been less than impressed with the negotiation tactics utilised by the Anfield outfit.

Fekir ended up staying only to join Real Betis the following year.

But the sour relationship has not quelled yet, while the likes of United and Arsenal have good relations with the club – as does Tottenham.

Spurs feel they have a great chance to win the battle as Tanguy Ndombele is close pals with Aouar, while the Gunners have long been interested in the 23-year-old.

source: express.co.uk