One of the more exciting stories to have been spat out of the random transfer rumour generator over the last day or so, is one that has emerged in the Italian press and been jumped on by Metro among others.

Apparently, Arsene Wenger is planning to raid his homeland once more for Lyon goal machine, Alexandre Lacazette.

With 26 goals in 30 games this season in Ligue 1 (and three in three in domestic cups), the 23-year-old has built upon the burgeoning reputation he forged with 20 goals in domestic competition last year, and spearheaded his team’s title challenge versus the financial might of PSG.

This season he has also broken into the French national team, scoring his first international goal, and cementing his record of scoring for every age group for his country, including the winner vs Spain in the 2010 u-19 European Championship final.

A pacey striker who can also play out wide, Lacazette’s finishing has transformed from sporadic to deadly over the last 18 months, and he is very much a prototypical Wenger player.

He has clearly outgrown Ligue 1, having set a new record for goals scored in a season by a Lyon striker in only 30 games. More than Sonny Anderson, Lisandro Lopez or even Karim Benzema ever achieved.

That said, he is a local boy and a childhood Lyon fan, so he may fancy a season in the Champion’s League leading his hometown club, particularly with one eye on Euro 2016.

A fee of  £22million has been mooted, and of course, seeing as some Liverpool fans were convinced they were signing him in January, it would be wonderfully entertaining to frustrate them two years in a row!

See below for a little video taster of his form this year.