Following a serious injury to forward Danny Welbeck in midweek, Arsenal are thought to be stepping up their interest in Lille attacker Nicolas Pepe, the Metro report.
Welbeck fell awkwardly against Sporting Lisbon on Thursday night and his ankle injury could put him on the sidelines for the rest of the season, with his contract expiring in the summer.
That means Gunners boss Unai Emery is likely to dip into the transfer market in January to bolster his attacking options, with £44 million rated Pepe high on their list of targets.
The 23-year-old has started the campaign in Ligue 1 in fine form, already finding the back of the net on eight occasions, setting up a further five for his teammates, which has helped Lille to third in France’s top tier after 12 league fixtures.
The Ivory Coast international, who has been linked with a move to the Emirates previously, is also being monitored by fellow European giants Bayern Munich, Chelsea and Barcelona, and if the youngster continues to impress, may well earn a big move before the end of the season.
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