Arsenal to battle Newcastle for Lyon attacker?

Arsenal could go head-to-head with Newcastle United to sign Lyon attacker Lucas Paqueta this summer, Chronicle Live claims.

The Gunners were eager to bolster their midfield earlier in January with Bruno Guimaraes being one of their prime transfer targets.

However, they were unable to strike a deal for the Brazilian. He ended up making the surprise move to Eddie Howe's side.

It is now reported that the Gunners are eager to bring Paqueta to the Emirates, but they could face fresh competition from the Magpies.

The Brazilian has had a good season with the French outfit, bagging nine goals and six assists from 38 appearances in all competitions.

Les Gones are not actively looking to sell him, but they are likely to consider his departure if they receive a fee of around €45 million.

Paqueta may give preference to the Gunners if they manage to qualify for Europe next term. It is far from certain at the moment.

They are presently sixth in the league with 54 points, but have lost the last three games. With a difficult run-in, nothing is assured for now.