Jean-Michel Aulas, as he showed over the summer by cutting short talks with Liverpool over Nabil Fékir, is a tough man to negotiate with.
Of course, he wants what’s best for his club, and if there’s an offer too good to refuse, or if the player really wants to go, he won’t stand in their way, which is good news for both Manchester City and Tottenham.
Over the summer, the pair were linked with a move for Lyon midfielder Tanguy Ndombele, who recently extended his contract with the French club by an extra year.
RMC Sport claimed that Pep Guardiola’s side had gone as far as making a €50m bid for the soon-to-be France international, while Tottenham were also believed to have made contact about a potential transfer.
Speaking to Radio Scoop on Wednesday, Aulas discussed the future of his club, and touched on what could happen next summer.
He said: “When players decide to play for Madrid, Barcelona or Manchester… You don’t decide to sell Lacazette or Tolisso, and in the same vein, I can’t guarantee that we’ll be able to keep Ndombele or Aouar next summer”.
As well as the aforementioned duo, he’ll probably have to add Fékir to that list, who agreed to stay an extra year in France after his failed move to Liverpool, but it seems highly unlikely he’ll stick around for 2019-2020 season.
One thing is certain, however, and that’s that Ndombele won’t come cheap, as him signing that extra year is the perfect excuse for Aulas to dig his heels and make life as difficult as possible for potential suitors.
However, money has never really been an issue for Manchester City in the past, and we’re pretty sure it won’t be in the future either.
If Pep Guardiola really wants someone at the Etihad, they’ll make sure he gets him.
Just ask Leicester City.
