AFC Bournemouth has reportedly declined an offer from Olympique Lyonnais for the 25-year-old forward, Hamed Junior Traoré. This information comes from a report by Foot Mercato.
Traoré experienced a significant resurgence in his career last season following a challenging couple of years. His loan spell at AJ Auxerre proved highly successful, where he netted 10 goals in 26 league appearances. This prolific contribution was instrumental in Christophe Pélissier`s side comfortably securing their Ligue 1 status. While Auxerre would have liked to retain him, their financial constraints made a permanent return impossible this season.
Meanwhile, Lyon, despite implementing austerity measures, has still made some notable expenditures this summer, including the acquisition of Tyler Morton from Liverpool. The French club submitted a loan proposal for Traoré to Bournemouth, which was subsequently rejected. Although the Premier League club is open to Traoré`s departure, they explicitly prefer a permanent transfer over another temporary agreement.
Foot Mercato suggests that if Bournemouth becomes more flexible with their asking price or reconsiders a loan deal, Lyon might renew their interest later in the transfer window, potentially leading to further negotiations.