Real Madrid Transfers: 5 possible midfielders to target going into 2021

Lyon CM Houssem Aouar

We now move to another young Ligue 1 standout in Houssem Aouar, who potentially could have moved to Arsenal this past summer but received lowball offers from one of the most poorly-run clubs in all of European football (please check the standings in the Premier League if you disagree).

Aouar will likely continue to have interest from Juventus, who were unable to make the sale needed to fund a transfer for the Lyon star this summer. Juve may find it easier to sign Udinese’s Rodrigo De Paul or Sassuolo’s Manuel Locatelli, though.

It seems like Aouar is a backup option to Eduardo Camavinga, because he is more offensive and Camavinga provides more defense despite also being a well-rounded player who can carry the ball and pass effectively. But when it comes to creativity and attacking upside, I’m not sure there’s a better option for Los Blancos than Aouar, save for Paul Pogba.

This season, the 22-year-old French midfielder has scored three goals and three assists, and he is clearly Lyon’s superstar player now. Aouar showed the peak of his powers in the Champions League knockout stages against the likes of Juve, and there are very few midfielders in Europe who are better dribblers than him. His defensive contributions are weak, though, so that could make him less favorable to the club than another option.