Arsenal were heavily linked with the 6ft 2in midfielder cum forward during the January transfer window, but the manager wasn't prepared to launch an audacious £12m bid for the attacker's services.
The President of Toulouse Olivier Sadran has admitted that he's ready to sell the 24-year-old, who came to the fore two-seasons ago as he finished top goalscorer in France' elite division (the Ligue1), he scored 24 goals in 38 games for Toulouse. Although, there is a catch to that - €18m and Champions League football for his coveted star.
Arsenal's manager Arsene Wenger, who is a long-term admirer of the forward was expected to snap the star during the January transfer window after injuries to Cesc Fabregas, Nicklas Bendtner, Tomas Rosicky and Robin Van Persie limited his attacking options. But in typical Wenger fashion, the gaffer opted to damn the consequences and posited that Gignac was too expensive to be an Arsenal transfer target: "I like the player," he said.
"I don't need to send people to watch him well enough already because he plays for the French national team.
Lyon tried to buy him last year (2009) for nearly £20m so the price was too high."
The striker told L'Equipe that he is ready for the 'big leap' and that his match against AS Monaco tonight might be his last for the violets: "This may be my last match with Toulouse, or maybe not," he enthused.
"Many clubs are experiencing money problems, and others await the World Cup before they consider the possibility of strengthening their squad.
"Me, I'm in no hurry. We'll have to wait for the verdict next monday (Raymond Domenech's 23-man squad), then we will see. I concluded a cycle of three years with Toulouse and these were good years. It may be time to begin a new cycle, with Toulouse, or elsewhere.
"Where will I go? Playing in the Champions League can make me go."
On his current price and whether he still believes he can do it again at a different club, Gignac said: "I do not care if my rating is devalued or not, if the clubs that wanted me last year have changed their minds that means they do not really believe in me..."
Meanwhile, Tfc's president Sadran has maintained that he won't renege on his promise to sell the enterprising forward, if prospective buyers are willing to match the club's selling price of €18m: "Andre-Pierre's stay with us might come to an end. And the probability of a departure is high," he said.
"If a proposal meets our expectations and it suits him, I will not go back on my word. However, if we do not recieve a concrete offer, we will continue our adventure with him, with pleasure."
Andre-Pierre Gignac is contracted to Toulouse until the end of 2011/2012 season - we can wait! Or can't we?
