Olivier Giroud is reportedly set to start a ‘war’ between Marseille and Lyon.
- Arsene Wenger set for showdown talks with Olivier Giroud to discuss future
- L’Equipe say Marseille and Lyon aren’t giving up on Giroud
- Marseille and Lyon ready to battle for Giroud
- Neither club ready to cough up £26.4m transfer fee yet
Both Marseille and Lyon are reportedly interested in Giroud, who, despite signing a new deal with Arsenal at the beginning of the year, could leave in search of regular football this summer.
Marseille have had their eye on the 30-year-old for a few months now. However, Lyon, who have entered the race late, are genuinely interested amid claims that the Gunners are trying to sign their star striker, Alexandre Lacazette.
“I do not have anything to say about Olivier Giroud. We’re interested. Things haven’t advanced,” Lyon president, Jean-Michael Aulas, said recently.
The sticking point is Giroud’s transfer fee.
According to French reports, Arsenal are asking for £26.4m (€30m), which neither Ligue 1 club are ready to cough up just yet, despite Marseille needing a striker.
West Ham are also said to be very interested in signing Giroud and are willing to spend £20m, as well as pay him a club record of £130k-per-week in wages.
The France international scored 16 goals in just 1,780 minutes of football last season. He also bagged seven assists, which means he had a hand (or foot) in 23 goals overall.
This works out as him being directly involved in a goal every 77 minutes, which is impressive.
To put this into perspective, Alexis Sanchez contributed to a goal every 86 minutes last season.