Transfer news: Lyons midfielder Yoann Gourcuff 'ready to take a pay cut' to make switch to Arsenal
Lyons' club president claims the French international would lower his wages to sign for Arsenal
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Your support makes all the difference.Lyons’ Yoann Gourcuff would be prepared to take a pay cut to join Arsenal, according to his club’s president Jean-Michel Aulas.
The playmaker, who has 29 caps for France, has been linked with a move to Arsene Wenger’s side over the past few seasons. Aulas has claimed that a loan move for Gourcuff to a fellow Ligue 1 side is out of the question, leaving Arsenal in pole position to add the 27-year-old to their ranks.
Gourcuff was given the “new Zidane” tag early on in his career but has been blighted by injuries in recent years, including ankle and adductor problems, and his form has suffered since joining Lyons for £19m in 2010.
"Can you see us paying part of his salary for him to play against us with another French club? We've never considered that and it would be even more stupid now than it was a fortnight ago,” Aulas was quoted in French newspaper L’Equipe
“All that I know, if I understood correctly, is that he was ready to lower his salary to go to Arsenal, but that's not the same thing.”
The former Milan player made a triumphant start to the Ligue 1 season on Saturday, scoring once and making two assists as Lyons defeated Nice 4-0.
While Aulas revealed Gourcuff could move to England, another Lyons player may yet be staying at the club. Striker Bafetimbi Gomis had talks with Newcastle United, but they have since broken down.
“His circumstances have changed. Newcastle ended talks and we don't have any other offers.
“The most logical solution would be for everyone to get back down to business and for him to prolong for another year. But there are other factors to consider, most notably what [head coach] Remi Garde wants to do.”
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