Olivier Giroud has had discussions with Olympique Marseille over a potential move to France for the past month but now appears to be determined to stay in London and fight for his place at Chelsea.
Olivier Giroud’s questionable future under Sarri
Giroud joined Chelsea last January as a replacement for Mitchy Batshuayi, who was not in Conte’s first-team plans and was loaned to Borussia Dortmund. The Frenchman became available after Arsenal broke the bank to acquire Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Alvaro Morata’s injuries and poor form gave Giroud some starter minutes and he put them to good use. He wasn’t more prolific than Morata, but was more involved in the game, becoming a fan favourite in the process. His performances for World Champions France this summer were similar to the ones at Chelsea. The 31-year-old didn’t score despite starting in all seven games, yet was pretty handy in other aspects of Didier Deschamps’ game plan.
A return to France wouldn’t be such a bad option at this point in his career, as Olivier Giroud would be guaranteed a place in Marseille’s first team. Chelsea’s new boss Maurizio Sarri seems to prefer Alvaro Morata, giving him ample playing time in the pre-season. Batshuayi is back in the fold as well. Nevertheless, Giroud is determined to fight for his place in the team.
Gonzalo Higuain is as a target of The Blues. If Sarri manages to convince the Argentinian to join him in England, Giroud immediately becomes the third option in his 4-3-3 formation, at which point staying at Stamford Bridge wouldn’t make any sense. Olivier Giroud is a fighter and never gives up. However, this might be one battle he can’t win.
Chelsea transfer news and updates
Chelsea is one of the clubs interested in Christian Pulisic. The winger was recently made available by Borussia Dortmund, as the German team looks to take advantage of Pulisic’s spiking market value.
On the other end of the spectrum, The Blues are willing to listen to offers for Danny Drinkwater, who is out of options following the arrival of Jorgihno. Tiemoue Bakayoko is also not in Sarri’s first-team plans. The Frenchman, who is wanted by AC Milan, is reportedly not ready to give up on his Chelsea dream just yet.
