Who is Chelsea target Houssem Aouar? A good find by Sarri?
According to a report in Metro, Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri is desperate to sign a new midfielder and has asked the club’s bosses to secure a deal for Lyon star Houssem Aouar. The Italian wants his ball-playing style to go up a notch at Stamford Bridge, hence, he is looking to buy Aouar.
Despite signing Jorginho from Napoli and securing a loan deal for Mateo Kovacic, Sarri wants more reinforcements in the middle of the park. It is probably because the latter might go back to Real Madrid once the season gets over. (Metro)
The ex-Napoli manager sees £30m-rated Aouar as a perfect number eight for his system, that will help Chelsea to be a lethal proposition in the most important area of the field.
Hence, let’s take a look at the player’s profile.
Scout Report – Houssem Aouar
Age – 20
Current Club – Lyon
Position – Midfielder (Central, Left)
Born in Lyon, Aouar was a part of the Lyon reserves side from 2009. He then played for the Lyon B team between 2015 and 2017 before moving to the senior team last year in February. He has represented the national team at U17 and U21 levels.
Predominantly a central midfielder, Aouar is perfectly capable of playing as a defensive midfielder and as a number 10. However, Sarri looks at him as an ideal number eight, and the Frenchman is someone who is capable of playing there.
He has a unique ability to hold the ball and take people on in tight areas to create space for others. His passing propensity aids him to pick the right teammate at the right time. Therefore, the opposition cannot be too tight on the player or give him time and space on the ball.
We talk about great midfielders of this generation, and there’s one thing every player should have – game awareness off the ball. For all the qualities Aouar possesses on the ball, he works hard without it as well, making him a prodigious talent at such a tender age.
Hence, it is easy to see why Sarri is desperate to get the Frenchman. The 20-year-old looks like a perfect fit for Sarri-ball and he can take the Chelsea midfield to the next level in the upcoming years.