Should Tottenham Kick the Tires on Olivier Giroud in January
By Aaron Coe
According to Fabrizio Romano of the Guardian, Olivier Giroud is looking to leave Chelsea to find more playing time, should Tottenham Hotspur consider the Frenchman?
Olivier Giroud was first a Gunner, playing for Arsenal for several seasons before making the switch cross town to Chelsea. Now that his time at Chelsea appears to be coming to an end, could Giroud stay in London and make the move to Tottenham Hotspur? There were reports Giroud almost left for Spurs in September, should Tottenham now return for the French striker in January?
Giroud Ready to Move
Despite his age – 34 – and the fact he has only started once for Chelsea this term, Olivier Giroud is still the number one choice up front for the French National Team. With his eyes on maintaining that spot into the European Championships this summer, Olivier Giroud is reportedly looking to leave Chelsea. Chelsea already had Tammy Abraham and then signed Timo Werner this summer moving Giroud further down the pecking order at Chelsea.
Giroud continues to perform at the international level with five goals in eight appearances for France this season. He is now only 7 behind Thierry Henry for the all-time France scoring record sitting on 44 goals in his France career. With Nations League and the Euros to come, Giroud is looking to cement his place in French lore with a World Cup trophy already to his name. Those seven goals and another trophy or two would help make Giroud a French legend.
Does Tottenham Fit?
In terms of a place to fit, Tottenham does make sense for a couple reasons. First, is the logistics of it all, the idea of continuing to stay in London must be appealing to Giroud, having been in the capital since 2012 when he joined Arsenal from Montpellier. So logistically that makes sense, but clearly the most important thing is playing time.
Obviously Giroud would be behind Harry Kane in the pecking order, but we have seen with Carlos Vinicius now in the fold Jose Mourinho is willing to give his talisman a rest if he has cover. The reality is, despite all the promise that Vinicius brings with his immense talent, Giroud is a finished product that is still producing. Giroud does have 1 goal in 154 minutes he has played this season. Moreover, he has produced 29 goals and 14 assists in just under two years with Chelsea.
Even though Giroud is a bit older for a striker and could cost Vinicius minutes, if Tottenham can sign him on a good Levy-like deal, then it is worth the risk for Spurs. Sure, he has played for two of Tottenham’s fiercest rivals, but that does not mean he cannot score against them too. If Jose needs a recommendation, he can ask his skipper Hugo Lloris who has played with Giroud in the national team for nearly a decade. Depending on the cost, this might be one rival worth bringing on board.
What do you think, should Spurs consider signing Olivier Giroud?