Arsenal ready to spend big on Nabil Fekir

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Bengaluru, May 1: Arsenal have stepped up their interest in Lyon's France international attacker Nabil Fekir who has enjoyed a sensational season in Ligue 1 this campaign.

The 24-year-old is enjoying a superb campaign for the Ligue 1 club, scoring a total of 22 goals in 37 games. Rated at £50million, Lyon-born Fekir is in line to be part of France's World Cup squad this summer. He has won ten caps for Les Bleus so far scoring once.

Fekir is a versatile attacker who can operate on the right wing or as an attacking midfielder, as well as up front as the leader in attack. The club's own academy product, under contract until 2020, has been on the Gunners' radar for the past three years as well on most club's radars in Europe.

The Emirates scouts checked on him once again on April 20, when he scored in Lyon's 5-2 win at league rivals Dijon. Fekir's advisor said earlier this year that the player hoped to join one of Europe's top ten clubs in the near future.

Even though Arsene Wenger is ending his 22-year stay as Arsenal boss this summer, senior figures within the club hierarchy are understood to be eager for the Lyon ace's signature.

Fekir's form has helped Lyon to second in Ligue 1, albeit 19 points behind champions Paris Saint-Germain. But the Stade Gerland club could yet miss out on a Champions League place, with Monaco and Marseille just one and two points respectively behind them.

That would tempt them to cash in on Fekir - just a year after selling Alexandre Lacazette to the Gunners for £52m. Lacazette, 26, is also a local-born Lyon academy product and France international. He shares a brilliant relationship with Fekir and the duo has been playing together for a long time and know each other's game very well.

Fekir has been tracked by the likes of Liverpool, Barcelona, Manchester City and Manchester United as well and Arsenal will surely face competition if they have to land the Frenchman.

Fekir has done really well to get back to his best following a hard time with back to back serious injuries early in his career and looks to be close on his big step to a bigger club in the summer.