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Report: Arsenal ‘In Talks’ With Lyon Over Gourcuff Swap Deal

By on July 16, 2013

According to reports today, Arsenal are in talks with Lyon over a potential deal involving Gervinho and Yoan Gourcuff that would see both players move on an initial season-long loan deal with the view to making the moves permanent if things go well.

Gourcuff has seen his career stall at Lyon with a series of niggling injuries over the last couple of seasons hampering his progress and he’s found himself out-of-favour as a result. The Express newspaper claim he’s ready to move on to try and get his career back on track, and the 27-year-old recently admitted he’s willing to consider any move as long as he’ll be getting regular playing time:

“The most important thing is to play, but I have to look at the sporting project, whether they count on me, the means that we’re given to succeed, and if they have clear ideas which don’t change after a defeat.”

It seems Arsenal are ready to offer Gourcuff a fresh start in the Premier League and the man who could be going in the opposite direction is Gervinho. The Ivorian international has struggled to settle in England following his £11m move from Lille two years ago and he’s been left out of Arsenal’s squad for our pre-season tour of the Far East.

The official reason given was ‘illness’ but I think it’s obvious he’s been left behind to sort out his future and he’s recently been linked with a move to Roma, with former boss Rudi Garcia understood to be keen to link up with him again in Italy.

However, the Express claim Lyon are now prepared to offer the 26-year-old a return to France where he made his name with two excellent seasons with Lille prior to his move to the Emirates, and it looks like we could get Gourcuff in exchange.

Wenger has been a long-term admirer of Gourcuff’s and we’ve been linked with the attacking midfielder several times over the years, so it’s difficult to know whether there is anything in this or it’s just the newspapers adding 2+ 2 and getting 5 again.

Hopefully we can offload Gervinho as I think his time in north London is over but personally I’d prefer we sell him outright and get the money, while I also think there are better replacements out there than Gourcuff.

Check out more Arsenal Transfer News

Would you like to see a Gourcuff – Gervinho swap deal happen this summer?

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