Pjanic open to Premier League switch
Lyon playmaker and one time Arsenal target Miralem Pjanic has opened the door on a switch to the Premier League after playing a starring role in Sunday's draw with AC Milan at Emirates Stadium.
Pjanic, 20, has emerged as a hot prospect for the future following a string of impressive displays for Lyon in the Champions League over the last two seasons after completing an €8 million move from Metz in 2008.
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Arsenal were believed to be interested in the Bosnian midfielder before he moved to the Stade Gerland two years ago, not that Pjanic knew anything about it.
"My agent deals with that," the Bosnian told ESPN after his man-of-the-match role against Milan in the Emirates Cup on Sunday.
"I have been concentrating on my work mainly, I know there were discussions [with Arsenal] about it but I don't know anything."
But after playing twice in two days at Emirates Stadium, Pjanic has admitted that he would like to play his football in the Premier League at some point in the future.
"Of course I would want to play in England. If I leave Lyon it will be for a bigger club. English clubs and the English championship are very attractive."
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"I have a very strong desire to come here, but at the moment I feel very good in Lyon and I am going to concentrate on my job and do my best to have a better season than last season."
Pjanic was spotted by Metz as a teenager in Luxembourg after fleeing his war-torn homeland in the 1990s and went on to demonstrate huge technical prowess before being snapped up by Lyon from under the nose of Arsene Wenger.
By James Martini
Gary Parkinson is a freelance writer, editor, trainer, muso, singer, actor and coach. He spent 14 years at FourFourTwo as the Global Digital Editor and continues to regularly contribute to the magazine and website, including major features on Euro 96, Subbuteo, Robert Maxwell and the inside story of Liverpool's 1990 title win. He is also a Bolton Wanderers fan.