When you start the season by hitting the ground running, especially as a goalscorer, the media attention quickly starts to grow around you, even if you play for Sassuolo.
Signing for the small Italian club for just under £6m from Cesena in 2015, Grégoire Defrel, in the space of 18 games, has already surpassed his tally from last season, leading to links with the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool.
Scoring nine goals compared to last season’s seven in 35 appearances, the 25-year-old striker is aware people are talking about him a bit more, even discussing his potential inclusion in a future France squad.
While he admits he is yet to receive word from Didier Deschamps, Defrel concedes the thought of one day getting called up is in the corner of his mind, as is a transfer to the Premier League one day.
Asked about the Arsenal and Liverpool interest, the French striker revealed how one keeps their head cool when your dream is to play in England.
He said: “All that needs to happen is me going through a dry spell for these rumours to go away. But the English league is the one I’ve always appreciated the most. When I was younger, it was Premier League games that I watched.”
Starting his career at Parma in Italy, Defrel has never played outside of Italian football, and admitted some apprehension at leaving for another league.
Sometimes, there’s no point putting off the inevitable, and if Arsenal and Liverpool do come calling, it might be a different story.
After all, the Emirates and Anfield are rather prestigious destinations for a football..
Whether Arsenal and Liverpool will be needing a new striker come the end of the season, however, is a different matter altogether.
