Arsenal are monitoring Eintracht Frankfurt playmaker Takashi Inui closely, as Arsene Wenger considers a move in the summer.
The Gunners are expected to splash the cash at the end of the season, with Wenger reportedly given a transfer budget of around £70 million ($107 million), which does not include the extra money which will be gained from sales.
Arsenal have prioritised a goalkeeper, defensive midfielder and a striker in the summer, but are also looking at possible gems across Europe for Wenger to act his magic on.
Inui, who is having a good season with Bundesliga surprise packages Eintracht Frankfurt, has been extensively scouted in the last few months, with chief scout Steve Rowley also keeping a close eye, according to the Daily Mail.
Inui mainly plays on the left side for Frankfurt, but is right footed and has scored most of his six goals, cutting in from the left.
The 24-year-old Japanese international has six goals and six assists in 28 appearances this season. Arsenal already have plenty of players capable of playing on the wing, so the need for a player of Inui's quality can be questioned, and it looks like a move will be made only if someone playing in a similar position leaves the club at the end of the season.
Meanwhile, Wenger has backed Olivier Giroud to improve next season, after the striker came for some criticism for his performance against Everton in midweek, where he missed a couple of sitters.
"He gave a lot until now and for his first season he is doing extremely well because he has a fantastic attitude, he is in a positive mind," Wenger said.
"He gives us another dimension with the physical challenges in the air. He has scored 17 goals in all competitions, 11 in the championship. For a first season that is quite good.
"He is very extrovert but as well he has a basic positive nature. He wants to do well, he is desperate to do well, but he is not the one who hides after. He stands up for what he has done and I feel he deals quite well with that.
"He has good physical potential. He wants to play every single game, he has a good basic stamina and he can absorb the games. He can absorb the body to body (challenge) because he's a strong guy. I think you will see more from him next season, and there's a lot more to come from him."
