Arsenal Transfer News: Latest Rumours on Olivier Giroud and Lucas Perez

Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud is reportedly a target for Olympique de Marseille. The Ligue 1 club is prepared to wait until late in the summer transfer window before making an official move for the 30-year-old.

Giroud isn't the only Gunners attacker whose future is unclear. Lucas Perez continues to be linked with clubs in both Italy and Turkey after formally submitting a transfer request.

French source Le10 Sport reported how Marseille intend to keep an eye on how often Giroud plays during the first few weeks of the new season (h/t Metro's Mark Brus). If the Frenchman continues to struggle for starts, they will make an approach to sign him.

It's probably a sound strategy since Giroud only started 11 matches in the Premier League last season, per WhoScored.com. However, the same source also revealed the towering Frenchman still netted 16 goals in all competitions for the Gunners.

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That provides a reminder of Giroud's enduring value in Arsenal's squad. Specifically, the former Montpellier HSC star offers Arsene Wenger's team something different.

Giroud boasts power in the air and the ability to play with his back to goal, along with being able to hold the ball up. He gives the Gunners a more direct outlet, a quicker route out of the congestion in midfield.

Yet Giroud is likely to struggle for playing time this term, especially after Wenger signed fellow Frenchman Alexandre Lacazette earlier this summer. The ex-Olympique Lyonnais striker offers the pace and keen finishing Giroud lacks.

Pace is also the hallmark of Danny Welbeck, Theo Walcott and Alexis Sanchez, three more players Wenger has used through the middle ahead of Giroud in recent seasons.

Giroud won't be short of suitors if he does decide to move on. Brus wrote how Premier League sides Everton and West Ham United are also admirers.

The Arsenal striker is at the top of Everton manager Ronald Koeman's list of attacking targets, according to Neil Jones of the Liverpool Echo.

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Giroud would be a useful player for Wenger to keep. However, the manager may have a hard time convincing the France international to continue in a bit-part role, especially with the World Cup looming.

Wenger may not be quite so keen to keep Perez, though. The Spaniard handed in a transfer request recently in an effort to end his Gunners career after just one season, per Goal's Chris Wheatley.

Italian publication Corriere dello Sport reported Serie A side AS Roma had been sounded out about the 28-year-old (h/t Charles Perrin of the Daily Express).

However, the player's agent, Rodrigo Fernandez Lovelle, played down the idea during an interview with Romanews WebRadio (h/t Perrin): "It's not true. There are no negotiations with Roma."

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Perez had previously been linked with a move to Turkey, with Lovelle revealing to TurkishFootball he had held talks with Fenerbahce (h/t Football Espana).

Despite his pace, clever movement and eye for goal, Perez struggled to impress Wenger last season. He appeared in just 11 league matches, per WhoScored.com.

Lacazette's arrival has made the one-time Deportivo La Coruna star surplus to requirements and could have similar implications for Giroud, even though the latter is a useful squad player Wenger should do his best to keep.