Arsène Wenger says Olivier Giroud is more than just a threat from the bench, but refused to talk about his off-field conversations with the striker.

Giroud has been back in the headlines again this week, after scoring a late equaliser against Southampton and then having a documentary about him released by L’Equipe.

In the documentary, the 31-year-old admitted he was considering leaving in January, so Wenger was asked about the French striker’s current situation in his latest press conference.

It’s true that it would be ill-advised for Wenger to play the likes of Alexis Sanchez, Alexandre Lacazette, Danny Welbeck and Olivier Giroud all at once.

He therefore has to pick the best striker for the occasion, and although that’s generally been Lacazette in the Premier League, the total minutes in all competitions are extremely close between the two – 1,176 for Lacazette, 1,026 for Giroud.

In the end, the most important thing is getting goals from whomever is picked. Giroud has seven goals in all competitions so far, whilst Lacazette has eight, so neither of them have particularly struggled.

Giroud will want more starts in the Premier League, but he’s proven valuable as an impact player, and is trusted to bring success in Arsenal’s European campaign.