ESPN: Lyon midfielder Houssem Aouar 'eager' to join Barcelona or Real Madrid

The midfielder is reportedly set to quit Lyon at the end of the season with a view to sign for one of the La Liga giants.

Lyon midfielder Houssem Aouar is willing to snub a move to his long-term admirers Arsenal as he's 'eager' to join Barcelona or Real Madrid, according to ESPN's James Olley.

The Gunners missed out on the 22-year-old last summer as they refused to meet the Ligue 1 club's €60m asking price.

The Premier League side are set to make another attempt to land the France international at the end of the season.

Aouar, however, wants to find out whether Barca or Madrid are interested in him before making a final decision on his next career step.

Even though Olley isn't among the most trustworthy sources, his report does seem like a reliable one as arguably any player in the world would favour a move to one of the La Liga giants over joining mid-table Arsenal.

The Catalans, on the other hand, are unlikely to land the midfielder due to the club's financial struggles.

What's more, Ronald Koeman's first-choice target Georginio Wijnaldum, whose contract with Liverpool expires in the summer, looks like a more accessible option to strengthen Barca's squad.