Top target: Arsenal want to sign Maxime Gonalons (Picture: Getty)

Arsenal have opened preliminarily talks with Lyon over midfielder Maxime Gonalons after making him their number one summer transfer target.

As Metro revealed in February, the Gunners are long-term admirers of tough tackling Gonalons, and have watched him on several occasions in the last 12 months.

And now according to reports in France, Arsenal have approached Lyon to discuss a transfer ahead of a possible deal at the end of the season.

It’s thought that Arsene Wenger asked the Ligue 1 club to name their price for the 23-year-old, who is widely considered one of the best midfielders around.


Team-mates? Gonalons could lineup alongside Olivier Giroud for Arsenal (Picture: Getty)

However, any transfer is likely to be difficult, with Wenger known to endure a fractured relationship with Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas.



But seemingly money will talk on a potential transfer, and Lyon are said to be willing to cash in if their £15million valuation is met by an overseas club.

Wenger has made adding a new midfielder to his squad a key priority in the summer, with Abou Diaby continuing to suffer from a run of injury problems, while the sale of Alex Song to Barcelona has left them without an orthodox holding player.

Gonalons has a contract at Lyon until 2016.

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