Olivier Giroud Reportedly Wanted as Record West Ham Signing Amid Lyon Rumours

West Ham United are reportedly prepared to make Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud their record signing amid interest from Lyon. 

Jeremy Wilson of the Telegraph reported the Hammers are open to offering a transfer fee in the region of £20 million for the Frenchman, and they're even "understood to be willing to match or even marginally exceed Giroud's current £120,000-a-week salary."

Per BBC Sport, West Ham's current record signing is Andre Ayew, who joined from Swansea for £20.5 million.

Gunners manager Arsene Wenger holds the 30-year-old in high regard, but he wasn't always a regular starter last season after Alexis Sanchez was moved into a striking role, and Arsenal are in pursuit of more attacking talent this summer in the form of Lyon's Alexandre Lacazette.

Despite playing just 1,780 minutes in all competitions last term, the Frenchman grabbed 16 goals and seven assists, contributing one or the other every 77 minutes on average.

Per French football writer Matt Spiro, Arsenal have indicated they're not prepared to let Giroud leave this summer, though Bleacher Report's own James McNicholas believes a deal could still be on the cards given Arsenal's interest in Lacazette:

While Lyon missed out on the UEFA Champions League after finishing fourth in Ligue 1, they could be a more tempting proposition than the Irons, who can't even offer the UEFA Europa League.

Football.London's Tom Marshall-Bailey would be surprised if Giroud were interested in a move to the London Stadium:

Giroud would make a superb signing for West Ham. He's in the ideal mould of a strong, aerially dominant centre-forward who can hold the ball up well and act as a target man in their system, and he's a healthy upgrade on their current options.

However, the Hammers would represent a significant step down for a player who has made over 200 appearances for Arsenal and been capped 64 times for France.

Even if they're able to offer him a similar financial package to the one he enjoys at the Emirates Stadium, without the lure of European football and the ability to compete in an elite side, it does seem unlikely he'd consider joining.

If Giroud were to leave in search of more game time this summer, he'd set his ambitions higher than a club likely to finish mid-table in the Premier League.