Brentford are continuing their busy summer transfer window by targeting French forward Sébastien Haller of FC Utrecht, according to reports in the French media.
French sports paper l'Équipe claims that the Bees have submitted an offer of around €6million for the forward, with a 'top of the table' club in the Dutch Eredivisie also monitoring the situation. Some Dutch reports suggest that the bid has already been knocked back.
Potentially a record transfer for the Bees
While the fee may seem a large one for a club who were in League One as recently as two seasons ago, the report mentions that Haller's contract with Dutch side Utrecht has another four years to run, meaning he will not be allowed to leave for anything less than a premium fee.
It would also continue Brentford's summer spending, with nine players brought into Griffin Park already this transfer window including German youth international Philipp Hofmann and Denmark defender Andreas Bjelland.
However, the reported fee of €6million would double Brentford's record transfer outlay on a player - the £2.1million reportedly paid to another Eredivisie side, FC Twente, for 27-year-old centre-half Bjelland.
An impressive scoring record for a youngster
21-year-old Haller only joined Utrecht earlier this year, but scored 11 goals in 18 games in the second half of the season and winning the club's Player of the Year award as his new side finished 11th in the 18-team Dutch top flight.
Previous to his spell in the Netherlands, Haller played for youth side Auxerre, scoring eight goals in three seasons after breaking into the first team at the Ligue 2 team.
He has also represented his native France at six youth levels, scoring in all but one - he failed to find the net in his singular appearance for the French U16 team. He does, though, have an impressive scoring record of five in six games at U21 level for his nation.
Is Haller a replacement for Andre Gray?
Should Brentford's perceived interest in the player materialise into something more concrete, it could spell the end of Andre Gray's time in London.
Last season's top scorer netted Brentford's first goal of the new season in their dramatic two-all draw at home to Ipswich Town on the opening day of the Championship season, but has been subject to persistent interest from recently-relegated Hull City.
With the Bees reluctant to let Gray leave the club for anything less than a sizeable fee, his departure would finance a move for Haller as well as paying back most of the fees already spent on players this summer.
After a surprise run to the Championship play-offs last season, Brentford owner Matthew Benham is making no secret of his target of promotion to the top flight one way or another this season.