Arsenal hoping to offload Sead Kolasinac and Lucas Torreira by end of the week to fund Houssem Aouar transfer

Arsenal are looking to offload both Lucas Torreira and Sead Kolasinac before the end of this week as talks continue with Lyon over a deal for Houssem Aouar.

The midfielder has emerged as the Gunners’ top transfer target and they have already failed with an opening offer of just over £30million.

Arsenal, who are back in action tonight when they travel to Liverpool in the Carabao Cup, are expected to return with a new bid but they are also working hard to offload players before Monday’s transfer deadline.

Several players could leave, including defenders Shkodran Mustafi and Sokratis Papastathopoulos, but Kolasinac and Torreira’s departures are currently the most likely to happen.

Atletico Madrid are in talks with Arsenal over a deal for Torreira and they would ideally like to sign the Uruguayan midfielder on loan for the season.

Arsenal are thought to prefer a permanent deal, or at least an obligation for Atletico to buy the player next summer, and are aware of interest from clubs in Italy too.

Kolasinac is expected to return to Germany and Bayer Leverkusen are in advanced talks over a move for him.

The left-back is happy to fight for his place at Emirates Stadium, but the chance to return to the Bundesliga is an attractive option too.

Arsenal are hoping to secure around £10m by selling Kolasinac, who they signed for free back in the summer of 2017.

The 27-year-old’s sale would help fund a move for Aouar, who Arsenal are hoping to bring in before the transfer window shuts.

Lyon are understood to want close to £50m for the 22-year-old midfielder, who has been tracked by Juventus too.

The French club want any deal for Aouar to be completed by Friday and have seemingly already signed a replacement by announcing the arrival of Lucas Paqueta yesterday for £19m from AC Milan.

Lyon’s president Jean-Michel Aulas, however, explained they are still waiting for a sufficient offer for Aouar.

“Things haven’t really advanced,” he said. “We know that three major clubs – two in the short term and one in the medium term – are interested in Houssem.

“They are some of the biggest clubs. They have all been in the Champions League and have performed well. Talks are difficult.

“The clubs are not able to provide us with financial commitments. Some, like I have said with Barcelona, are in great difficulty. That is the difficult. We are all working, night and day.”

Arsenal are back in action tonight as they once again travel to Liverpool. Manager Mikel Arteta is expected to make changes from Monday night’s loss at Anfield for this Carabao Cup tie, with youngsters such as Eddie Nketiah and Joe Willock primed to start.

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