Arsenal have a rich history of transfer successes when purchasing Frenchman, with the club's modern-day foundation essentially built off Arsene Wenger's success. Mikel Arteta could now be set to continue that proud tradition, should he reignite an old link.
How much is Olivier Giroud worth?
Whilst Thierry Henry is obviously their most famous import from the continent, Olivier Giroud stands as a more recent star who joined the Emirates and impressed.
Having lit up Ligue 1 with Montpellier, as his 21 goals and 12 assists helped them win the most unlikely of titles, a switch to north London promised much.
Given the 36-year-old would go on to score 105 times in just 253 appearances for the Gunners, his tenure can certainly be regarded as a success even if he would only win a handful of FA Cups and Community Shields.
The hulking striker made the transition with ease, and although his departure to Chelsea left a sour taste in the mouth, the classy Frenchman is still remembered with great fondness by large sections of the fanbase, especially considering his Transfermarkt valuation spiked during his time there, reaching a peak of €27m (£23m) in 2017. It has since fallen to just €4m (£3m), given his age and declining influence.
Therefore, links that suggest sporting director Edu Gaspar could repeat such a masterclass with Elye Wahi will likely have supporters scrambling to complete such a deal, even if the proposed fee stands at €40m (£34m) is quite lofty.
How good is Elye Wahi?
Whilst not quite the same physical profile, given the AC Milan titan stands at 6 foot 4 compared to the mere 6-foot frame of the 20-year-old whiz, the shared start of their careers makes it impossible to not immediately draw comparisons.
Both earned their breakthrough playing for Montpellier and should Wahi make the switch this summer, engineered a move to the Emirates off the back of a standout goalscoring year.
Just last term saw the youngster notch 19 league goals with a further six assists, building upon his ten-goal haul the campaign prior.
Such imperious form was bound to draw attention, and yet it was ex-Caen academy director Francis de Taddeo who sought to explain his success and the bright future he is set to enjoy:
"He is a powerful, athletic and fast player with a range of dribbling skills where only he knows what he is going to do next."
With blistering speed but the physicality to cause serious problems for centre-backs, he has all the attributes to be a real nuisance for the opposition in the same way Giroud was.
Whilst never boasting blistering pace, the towering finisher had a touch of class that set him apart from the everyday brutish number nine of his era. He took to English football with ease, and the notion from De Taddeo suggests Wahi would too.
Wenger's 2017 praise for his star forward at the time still stands out to this day:
"I opened the door for him at some stage as I had many strikers and it’s important for him to play but I don’t want him to go. In the end he decided to stay and it was one of the great days of the recent weeks for me. I know how important he is not only as a player – he’s a fantastic player – but also in the group he has a big weight. It was a relief for me he decided to stay. Giroud in his prime is at the top of his game."
Should Wahi enjoy similar success upon making the exact same path as Giroud, then this would certainly be regarded as another transfer masterclass with Edu at its core.