Marseille plot £20m summer move for Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud

French club Marseille are interested in signing Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud in the summer, according to reports.

Citing sources, Sky Sports said the Ligue 1 outfit are prepared to pay £20m ($25.6m) to sign the 30-year-old forward, who has scored nine goals in 23 league appearances for the Gunners this season.

Giroud signed a new deal to extend his stay at the Emirates Stadium until 2019 in January, but Marseille reportedly believe they can persuade him to return to France in the summer.

The France international joined Arsenal from Montpellier in 2012 and has made more than 200 appearances for the north London club.

However, he has only started eight league games this season, with Gunners boss Arsene Wenger preferring to start Alexis Sanchez as the main striker.

Marseille were bought by US billionaire Frank McCourt last year and are reported to be preparing for a summer spending spree in order to build a title-winning squad.

The 10-time French champions made two high-profile signings in January, bringing in Dimitri Payet from West Ham and Patrice Evra from Juventus, respectively.

Giroud refused to rule out a future move to Marseille in an interview last month, but insisted that he was happy at Arsenal for the time being.

"I see my future, for the short or medium term, in England," he was quoted as saying by talkSPORT.

"That's why I extended my contract with Arsenal."

The France striker also backed Wenger to stay on as Gunners boss next season.

"[The players] want to see Arsene sign a new deal. We want him to continue this adventure because we all support him," Giroud was reported as saying by ESPN.

"We hope to win the FA Cup this season and qualify for the Champions League again."

Arsenal are seven points behind fourth-placed Manchester City, but have a game in hand. They host Leicester City at the Emirates Stadium on 26 April.