"?Arsene Wenger has dispatched scouts to watch Sassuolo striker Gregoire Defrel on three occasions over the course of this season, but Liverpool scouts have also observed his play and Crystal Palace and Swansea are other interested parties.
Defrel has scored seven goals in eight games for the Italian club, including the winner in their most recent match against Udinese on Sunday.
DEFREL 2-0 TO SASSUOLO! pic.twitter.com/aQOoKgjDHX
He moved to Sassuolo at the age of 24 last season, but struggled to make the cut initially by misfiring in front of goal. He eventually adapted and became a key scorer, finding the net five times in twelve appearances going into the end of the season.
Now, he is continuing that goalscoring run and it seems that the Frenchman's hot streak has attracted the attentions of Arsenal's Wenger among other Premier League teams.
A man who has played for Italian teams for all of his professional career despite being born in France, Defrel has been utilised across the forward line for Parma, Foggia and Cesena. Last January, Italian manager Francesco Guidolin used his contacts in the country to keep tabs on him with an eye towards bringing him to Swansea.
Defrel only played one game for Parma before being loaned out to Foggia, but he had also been linked with three more English clubs last January in Everton, QPR and West Brom.
Arsenal remain in the market for another striker, as Alexis Sanchez has not signed a new contract yet and further options than the likes of Lucas Perez are needed to fuel the Gunners' strike force. They have also been linked with Juventus's Milan Mandzukic.