Lyon target Real Betis midfield pair William Carvalho and Guido Rodríguez | OneFootball

L’Équipe report this afternoon that Lyon’s head of recruitment, Matthieu Louis-Jean, is set to meet two Real Betis players in William Carvalho and Guido Rodríguez, as part of the club’s efforts to bring head coach Laurent Blanc a new number six.

The former France manager is said to be adamant that the club needs to bring in a defensive midfielder, and does not see former Arsenal man Ainsley Maitland-Niles, who recently arrived on a free transfer, as a viable option for the role.

Carvalho, a 31-year-old Portuguese international, is Blanc’s priority – however, he is currently injured and under contract for another three years. A potential loan deal seems unlikely given his high salary, and the fact that the DNCG – French football’s financial watchdog – is monitoring the club’s wage bill this summer.

Meanwhile, the Argentine Rodríguez is entering the final year of his contract with the Seville club. A deal for less than €10m could be doable, albeit highly complex to pull off.

GFFN | Raphaël Jucobin