Giroud will wear the No 18 shirt at Chelsea, and said he was ‘proud’ to join the club. Photo/DAILY MAIL
LONDON, United Kingdom, Jan 31 – Olivier Giroud has brought a frustrating 18 months to an end after joining Premier League champions Chelsea from London rivals Arsenal on transfer deadline day.
The France international has been a consistent goalscorer for the Gunners during his five-and-a-half-year stay, but found himself playing the role of impact substitute this season and last.
Giroud managed just one Premier League start for Arsene Wenger’s side in 2017/18 and made his final appearance off the bench in the 3-1 defeat at Swansea on Tuesday.
The Blues were in the market for a target man and had expressed an interest in signing Roma hitman Edin Dzeko, but they were forced to look elsewhere and agreed an undisclosed fee with their neighbours to land the 31-year-old striker on an 18-month contract.
Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia called Giroud a ‘fantastic signing’. Photo/DAILY MAIL
“Chelsea is one of the biggest teams in the Premier League. They have won maybe the most trophies in the last six or seven years,” Giroud told his new club’s official website.
“It’s a massive club and I am proud to sign for Chelsea, and I’m looking forward to playing.”
Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia added: :Olivier is a proven talent at the top level and we are very pleased to call him a Chelsea player.
“He has scored goals regularly throughout his career and is well accustomed to English football and the Premier League. We are sure he will be a fantastic signing.”
The former Montpellier ace scored 105 goals in 253 outings for the north Londoners and won the 2017 FIFA Puskas Award for his scorpion-kick goal against Crystal Palace on New Year’s Day.
