A report in the Daily Mirror this morning claims that "Arsene Wenger is tracking St Etienne midfielder Blaise Matuidi ."

The tabloid adds: "Matuidi, 22, has been recommended by Arsenal's French scout Gilles Grimandi and fits the bill for Wenger. The powerful France youth international is valued at about £5million."

The 5.7ft central midfielder came through the ranks at Troyes and has established himself over the past two seasons as a crucial cog in the Saint Etienne midfield.

Although the club battled relegation last season, Matuidi continued to impress, scoring two goals in 36 games as St Etienne battled against relegation. He also received three yellow cards and one red card.

Matuidi is being chased by a number of clubs in Europe and has long been linked with Arsenal. The Frenchman is known for his consistent displays and the left-footer could fit in well into the Arsenal set-up as he is a quick player with fine technique.

The 22-year-old is under contract at St Etienne until the end of the 2010/2011 season and could well be worth closer to 7.5 million euros. Arsene Wenger may also have the advantage of close relations with Damien Comolli, who is now sporting director at Les Verts.

One of the two goals Matuidi scored in Ligue 1 last season was a cracker, his strike against Bordeaux in February can be seen on the video below.