Alan Pardew
Newcastle boss Alan Pardew is not bothered by the speculation that the Magpies players are being linked with transfers away from the club REUTERS

Arsenal and Newcastle striker target Olivier Giroud will not go to either club for less than €50 million, according to Montpellier owner Louis Nicollin, with the two sides said to be interested in taking the Frenchman aboard for a much more modest fee of €10 million.

Giroud has scored 24 times in 54 appearances for Montpellier since joining the Ligue 1 side from Tours in the summer of 2010, and the 25 year old is said to be considering a move to the Premier League to further his career.

Both Arsenal and Newcastle have been connected with the hitman. While the Toon are still searching for a replacement for the Liverpool-bound Andy Carroll, Arsenal are in need of a back-up for Robin van Persie.

And though Giroud will be considering that he will get limited game time at Arsenal as van Persie continues to star for the Gunners, Nicollin has insisted that Newcastle wouldn't come close to affording the shooter's transfer fee.

"Newcastle? They are too small for him," Nicollin told RTL.

"Arsenal? We must see if Arsene Wenger is interested because he has Van Persie.

"€10m? He won't go for that.

"Given that he still has more than two years left on his contract, he'll cost a lot more, either €50m or €60m."

The possibility of Giroud making a move to Arsenal would appear to be a long shot, with Arsene Wenger insisting that he will take players on a loan basis only in the transfer window. While Marouane Chamakh and Gervinho are both away at the Africa Cup of Nations for January, the pair will be returning to the side at the end of the month, and with Gervinho still new to the club after signing for the Gunners last summer, Wenger doesn't appear likely to buy another up-front player.

Newcastle would seem a more likely destination for the striker, though if his club insists on such a high fee, the Toon may be driven towards cheaper targets, and could make another play for Modibo Maiga, who failed a medical with the club recently.