Olivier Giroud Reportedly Everton's No. 1 Transfer Target Amid Wayne Rooney Talk

Everton have reportedly made Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud their "No. 1 transfer target" this summer ahead of a potential £20 million move.

According to MailOnline's Joe Strange, the Toffees are hoping to add more reinforcements to their squad next summer, and Giroud could be available after Alexandre Lacazette's impending arrival from Lyon.

The club are hopeful that more first-team football will entice the Frenchman, and they have also been linked with a return for Wayne Rooney, per ITV Sport's Sam Matterface and The Sun's Neil Custis:

The Telegraph's Matt Law believes landing both Giroud and Rooney would represent mixed business for the Toffees:

Giroud may have suffered in the eyes of some Arsenal fans for not being a top-class, marquee name, but he has been very good for the Gunners and could be a superb capture for Everton.

The 30-year-old has netted 98 goals in 225 Arsenal appearances, and despite making just 17 starts in all competitions last year, he scored 16 times.

He also laid on seven assists, so while he may not be as good a distributor as many of his Gunners team-mates, he can still contribute to moves in the final third.

The 6'4" frontman is also a powerful presence in the air, and Everton—who are accustomed to delivering crosses for Romelu Lukaku—should be well-suited to getting the best out of him.

Football.London's Charles Watts believes letting Giroud go would be unwise by Arsenal, particularly if they allow him to join Everton:

Indeed, the last thing clubs in the top six want is another team offering serious competition for a UEFA Champions League place, and Everton are the only side who are potentially poised to realistically do that.

Further, as he demonstrated largely from the bench last year, he's an excellent squad player for them.

The Toffees could offer him a key role, and they're an attractive project to join, though if Giroud were to leave, it would still represent something of a step down. He may prefer to join another Champions League regular.

As for Rooney, his move could in fact take the form of a loan deal with United supplementing half of his wages, per the Mirror's David McDonnell.

While that would still mean paying £125,000 per week to a player whose effectiveness has severely diminished in recent years, it spares Everton the brunt of paying his full wage packet and makes the move somewhat more palatable.

Rooney arguably doesn't even get into Everton's strongest lineup, but he will at least bring vast experience, a winning mentality and leadership qualities to the squad if he returns to his boyhood club.