Lyon recruitment chief Bruno Cheyrou has confessed he could be helpless to keep Lucas Paqueta this summer. Newcastle United have been linked with the Brazilian since signing Bruno Guimaraes from the French outfit in January.
The two are international teammates and best friends, with Paqueta spotted on Tyneside in May to celebrate Guimaraes’ long-term girlfriend’s birthday. Fan excitement reached fever pitch when the two were snapped together - believing a move was on the cards - but talk has cooled.
However, Lyon have now admitted they are “prepared” to sell their asset amid reported Newcastle interest. Recent reports in France claimed the Ligue 1 club would accept a reduced offer of around £34million for the midfielder.
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This news comes just 24 hours after Arsenal technical director Edu played down their interest in Paqueta - paving the way for the Magpies to strike a deal. Speaking ahead of Lyon’s pre-season clash against Inter Milan, Cheyrou conceded other factors could force them to cash in.
“We are prepared for every eventuality - we need to reduce the squad size,” he told a press conference. “In terms of departures, we will analyse offers on a case-by-case basis but the economics will come into consideration.
“We will consider the offers with Jean-Michel Aulas (Lyon president) and Vincent Ponsot (Lyon director of football) in order to make the best decisions. I am here to ensure the best team possible, but there are other things to take into account as well.”
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