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PSG Transfer News: Lyon President Doesn't Rule Out Tanguy Ndombele Sale
November 2, 2018
Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas has not ruled out selling star midfielder Tanguy Ndombele to domestic rivals Paris Saint-Germain, providing a major boost for Les Parisiens in the race for Ligue 1's latest top talent.
As shared by sportswriter Jeremy Smith, Aulas said it will be Ndombele himself who decides his future and anyone can make an offer, including PSG:
According to L'Equipe (h/t Goal), the Ligue 1 champions retain a strong interest in Ndombele, but Lyon are reluctant to sell at this stage.
Calciomercato.com's Alessandro Cosattini (h/t Goal) has previously linked the 21-year-old with a whole host of top clubs around Europe, including Juventus, Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur.
Ndombele joined Lyon from Amiens last summer on a loan deal that included an option to buy. He enjoyed a breakout campaign during the 2017-18 season and was rewarded with his international debut for France last month.
His playing style is somewhat reminiscent of Tottenham's Mousa Dembele, as he too does his best work as a controlling force in the centre of the pitch. Ndombele isn't much of a scoring threat, but he has almost no other weaknesses, and his strengths more than compensate for the lack of goals.
He has ample strength and vision to be a force defensively, and his quick feet get him out of trouble in a hurry. He's an expert at creating space with smooth footwork and launching his team's attacks by beating his man and firing the ball out wide.
Tifo Football profiled the player when he was linked with Arsenal at the end of last season:
Ndombele might play the game in similar positions to Dembele, but he's far more explosive and a better dribbler. He's not afraid to switch out wide and has shown flashes of his ability as a winger with some great crossing.
The France international has sky-high potential and could benefit from more time with Lyon, who have a superb reputation for nurturing talent. Aulas is an expert at selling players for profit, however, and these latest comments suggest he's ready to cash in on his newest star.
PSG have targeted young talent in recent years with signings like Kylian Mbappe and Thilo Kehrer, so there's little doubt they will be in the mix for Ndombele as well.
According to Italian outlet Calciomercato, Adrien Rabiot will reject all contract offers from the club, and if he departs in the summer, Ndombele would be a perfect replacement.