Chelsea's Olivier Giroud looks on in a game. (Getty Images)
Chelsea could axe French striker Olivier Giroud, six months after purchasing him in the January transfer window. The club are apparently in talks with Ligue 1 club Marseille regarding a possible move. The 31-year-old, despite not scoring a goal, was pivotal in his country’s recent World Cup success in Russia.
Marseille would love a physical striker like him to regularly challenge for Champions League places. However, Giroud should ignore these talks and concentrate on how he can resurrect his career at Stamford Bridge. After all, it’s been hardly six months since his move from Arsenal.
Here’s why staying back in London will be a win-win situation for both parties:
Giroud may not be the one who will constantly make penetrative runs through the line and stretch a defence. To be more precise, that’s not actually his forte, given his physical strength to shrug off centre-backs. The 31-year-old was an ideal plan B for Arsenal in the first half of the last season, when he often came off the bench to score crucial goals. Everyone still remembers his opening night winner against Leicester City to light up the Premier League.
Going into the French league won’t help the 31-year-old enhance his potential as an impact player. At Chelsea, he can force his way to become the No.2 striker and help the team upon requirement. As things stand, he has accepted the fact that the regular starting spot may not be his cup of tea at Stamford Bridge.
For the club and manager Maurizio Sarri as well, it would be wise to keep a player who can be a lethal weapon when called upon. Giroud will add something different to the forward line and help the team when passing the football is not penetrative enough.
Hence, staying back at Stamford Bridge will be a win-win situation for the club as well as the player. He will not pressurize the manager to offer him a regular starting role, and the club can benefit from him making instant impacts when called off the bench.
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Every good team has a good backup armoury and the Frenchman fits that profile for the Blues. Hence, not leaving Chelsea can potentially make him an unsung hero if the club wins anything next season.
