Lyon have emphatically denied that a transfer offer has been accepted from Newcastle United for midfielder Bruno Guimaraes, a player Arsenal have also targeted.
The statement came after it was reported by Sky Sports that the French club had agreed to sell the Brazilian to the Magpies for a fee in the region of £30million.
Guimaraes has caught the eye of a number of clubs this summer, becoming an impressive figure in the heart of Lyon's midfield unit.
Arsenal are eager to improve their midfield options this month ahead of the season run-in and the race for a place in next season's Champions League.
It was reported that Edu was one figure chasing down the signature of the Brazilian, with journalist Nicolo Schira tweeting at the start of the January transfer window: "Arsenal are really interested in Lyon midfielder Bruno Guimaraes. Edu loves him and has opened talks to try and sign him."
Guimaraes made the move to France in the summer of 2020 and has since made 71 appearances, scoring three goals and assisting eight more.
The 24-year-old still has over two years remaining on his deal and his current club have now come out fighting, emphatically dismissing reports that an offer had been accepted.
"Olympique Lyonnais categorically denies the false information disseminated by many media reporting an agreement between Newcastle and OL for the transfer of Brazilian international midfielder Bruno Guimaraes," they wrote in a statement.
"In this transfer window period where the slightest rumor is often presented as reality, Olympique Lyonnais reminds that only information officially released by the club is to be taken into consideration."
It now remains to be seen what will happen next in the race for his signature, but Arsenal may now feel that they still have a chance of hijacking the deal.
