Arsenal legend, Nigel Winterburn, reckons that Arsene Wenger should at least consider selling Olivier Giroud this summer.
- L’Equipe say Marseille and Lyon aren’t giving up on Giroud
- French media still believe Giroud could join West Ham
- Winterburn believes Arsenal should consider selling 30-year-old
Winterburn believes that given Giroud’s age, Arsenal should consider selling him this summer, with West Ham, Marseille and Lyon all interested in the 30-year-old.
“I think Arsenal have stated that they would like to keep Giroud, but they might need to review the situation depending what happens in the summer,” Winterburn told beIN Sports [via Evening Standard].
“He’s probably looking at his age and thinking ‘I need to be playing and I want to make sure that I’m part of the French squad’.
“I think he’s done a very good job and I just wonder whether Arsenal want a little bit more mobility going forward. He found himself on the bench at the end of the season and he obviously wouldn’t want that to happen.
“It’s again whether the player feels that he is going to play enough games or is it time to make the break? I think there would be a lot more offers from abroad if he did move from Arsenal.
“He might also be settled in London and if that is the case, West Ham have a good link with Arsenal and if he wanted to stay in London that could be a good opportunity for West Ham to get a very good striker.
“I could see it happening but you have to think whether the player believes he is capable of playing for a top-six club and West Ham are not a top-six club. It’ll be a case of whether West Ham can convince the player to join them.”
The Gunners are reportedly holding out for £26.4m, which Marseille and Lyon aren’t yet ready to pay, despite Marseille’s need for a striker.
However, West Ham appear keen and while they’re currently only apparently able to bid £20m for the France international, their willingness to pay Giroud a club record of £130k-per-week shows how desperately they want to bring him to the London Stadium.
Giroud scored 16 goals and assisted seven during just 1,780 minutes on the pitch last season and, at one of the above clubs, would definitely get regular starts ahead of the World Cup next year.
However, whether he stays or goes most likely depends on what’s going on with the Alexis Sanchez situation. If Alexis goes, Giroud could end up staying after all.