Arsenal are preparing an improved bid for Monaco wonderkid Kylian Mbappé, with Olivier Giroud a makeweight in their proposed deal.

This news is according to the Standard, who have revealed that Olivier Giroud is seen as inadequate for the challenges that lie ahead with the current Arsenal squad.

Arsenal’s interest in Mbappé is genuine, as they’ve already reportedly had an initial offer of £87m rejected by the Ligue 1 champions. They are reportedly keen to conclude a deal now that France have finished their summer fixtures.

Real Madrid are seen as frontrunners for the 18-year-old’s signature, having been in pursuit of the forward since he was 14. The transfer fee is more than likely to be over £100m and although the Gunners’ budget isn’t as high in comparison to their rivals, they’re likely to balance the books by completing sales of their own.

Giroud, 30, has netted 98 and created 41 assists in 227 matches for the Gunners. However, he continues to divide opinion and many believe that he alone isn’t good enough to fire them to Premier League glory.

He only started eleven league matches last season as Alexis Sánchez featured and impressed regularly in a centre-forward role, whilst Danny Welbeck was also encouraging upon his return from injury.

The price of Mbappé could lower considerably if Arsenal offer Giroud in a part-exchange deal. Worth around £20-30m on his own, this would drive the transfer fee down and is a genuine attacking option for Monaco to consider given his goalscoring exploits at fellow Ligue 1 side Montpellier before moving to England’s top flight five years ago.

Both are mindful of the fact that their places on the international scene very much depend on regular minutes at club level, so will be keen to resolve their respective futures in the coming months.