Sky Sports are reporting that Marseille are targetting a summer move for Olivier Giroud.
They base this on ‘Sky sources’ – which could easily mean a random bloke on Twitter, some lad one of their journalists met in a toilet while buying crack, or a well-placed piece of info – and suggest that the Ligue 1 side would have to pay around £20m for the 30 year old striker.
Giroud spent four seasons as the club’s main striker, before becoming a bit more peripheral this campaign as Arsene Wenger preferred Alexis Sanchez up front.
Although he had a run in team over the festive period, and scored that brilliant scorpion goal, he hasn’t convinced the manager the job should be his.
He has still scored 13 goals in just 14 starts, however any deal would surely be complicated by the fact he signed a contract extension back in January along with Laurent Koscielny and Francis Coquelin.
In short, a summer wouldn’t be a huge surprise, and a return to Ligue 1 makes sense, but we’re still relatively sceptical about this one.
We’re giving it 6 poos for now (and fear not, our interactive Poo-o-Meter will return soon).
not too interactive a poo-o-meter though I hope
Can we sell his beard?
We can’t keep selling our best beards. Otherwise we’re just a feeder club
A beard that magnificent= 20 mill, A magnificent beard with a scorpion tail= priceless
Strange they signed him only to lose him. I put him in the ‘not quite good enough’ category, despite his goal scoring record. As against City, his lack of pace and a right foot weighs against him. Though Welbeck is in a similar category for me, misses a lot.
I think we need an upgrade to be honest.
Don’t know about you but I prefer Giroud over Welbeck.
The thing is we will have to really splash some cash and more for any forward who is a CLEAR upgrade on the two. Who would be on that list? Lewy? Mbappe? Dybala? Lacazette? Lukaku (nope if you ask me)? Aguerro? Auba? Will these players move to Arsenal as things stand – or even if we get a new DoF and some Allegri with hair implants? Still tough… Then we have forwards like Barabosa and Icardi and Reus who could be big but are marred by injuries/distractions/etc. In other words a gamble. It is going to be an interesting summer… Read more »
Overall, Giroud is a much better CF than Welbeck. Both help the team a lot but Giroud scores much more than Welbeck does. Keep him and give him game time (start him one game out of four) and use him as sub every game at 70th and pushing Sanchez to left wing when Giroud comes in.
Giroud is in no way ‘much better’ than Welbeck. If anything, Welbz is faster, more diverse and if remains fit long term is a far better option.
Bottom line this is Arsenal FC. Wright, Anelka, Henry, Bergkamp. Giroud isnt of that ilk, and we need to bring in a top class striker to the club this summer.
I like Welbeck, but Giroud IS much better in two ways, at least: Scoring goals, and being fit and available.
Those are kind of important.
Think of a wonderful goal you’ve seen in the past four years. There’s a pretty good chance that Giroud has either scored or assisted that goal.
I could not agree more. Arsenal look a much faster and more mobile team with Welbeck. Has so much more variety (and speed !) in his play that Giroud.
Sooner the better.
Think we’d be silly to miss the chance to cash in and upgrade on him if the right player became available.
He’s always done a decent job for us, hope he does well wherever he goes.
He’s not going anywhere! We’re keeping him!
It would make me sad to see him leave. Capable of some brilliant skills and finishes. My favorite is that turn and shot against Liverpool at the beginning of the season. No not the scorpion kick. He also seems like such a lovable oddball. But perhaps it makes sense to part ways with him now. Would like to see him at a champions league team though
We’re keeping him, he’s just signed a new contract. And if Ian Wright was any good at English comprehension he’d know Giroud said He wasn’t looking elsewhere for Trophies. He wants to win them with Arsenal.
Sky sources? Like the banners during the West Brom match?
Not a huge fan of Giroud, but I wouldn’t dare sell him if he’s not replaced with 1. a world class striker or 2. A world class wide scoring forward like Reus. It would be suicidal to sell him and bring in someone who isn’t scoring more. Besides, 20m is too little. He should be going for 25m. I wouldn’t mind selling him if we can get Belotti, Icardi or even Lacazette. Aubamayeng would be perfect but he’s already set on going to spain. Welbeck for all his endeavour will never turn into a goal scorer. He’s already 27. Has… Read more »
Ian wright was 28 when he became a goal machine. Just saying.
We all love Wrighty but let’s not make stuff up.
He signed for us when he was 27 but was already a goal machine before he came to us that’s why we paid a club record fee for him. .
He signed for Crystal Palace from non-league at the age of 21. He scored 117 goals in 253 starts for Palace over 6 seasons.
No more fake news please, it’s not helpful.
Not an Arsenal example, but Jamie Vardy… Welbz is good enough, maybe not to start but you can see that his strength and mobility really give us something else up front just like when he came on against City. That combination of speed and strength give us the extra dimension to knock it forward for him to chase and his added hard work unsettles defenders increasing the likelihood of a mistake/ turnover… I call it chaos… You need that chaos causing hustle up front in the big and tight games. So some starts and sub appearances depending on the game… Read more »
On the other hand Giroud of course is a good goal scorer and works very well when we are playing flowing football, as he brings other players into the game well even dropping deep to do this. He works hard and scores goals. My only problem with him is that he should be able to hold the ball up much better than he does, yet he seems to fail at it quite often. Most other big centre forwards do this much better than he does. And if you are a lone centre forward and can’t run through on the break… Read more »
If you want chaos then Yaya’s your man, love the way he bamboozles defenders!
Arsenal have to try for Mbappe… Regardless of cost. Might not get him, but he looks the real deal even at just 18 it’s scary. The boy is going to be class.
we have our own Mbappe killing it in the youth system. Nketiah is really good and we might see more of him next season
Inshallah
Please may this happen. I wish him to go and all the best where ever he will go…
But… but… who will we complain about? Whilst he’s never been the striker we’ve always needed. I’d be really sorry to see him go. You do NOT score that many goals if you’re average.
If he went, and I’ll reiterate IF, he’d soon have his detractors fawning over him. “Arsenal legend”, “world class”, “can’t believe we let him go” and you name it.
Sell him and put the money towards buying Lukaku!
Lukaku is a great footballer but he will choose Chelsea or Arsenal mainly because of them offering champions league football and the wage structure they offer.
Good choice to replace Giroud though, he has heigh, strength and pace.
Could see this happen…They’re looking for a striker and ready to spend “big” with their new owner. They’ll feel they can get that type of profile, very well known French player but not in the top bracket. He played for Montpellier so already popular there, he ticks a lot of boxes I’d say.
I’d be sad to lose Olivier, he’s been a good servant to the club. When he arrived we were asking him to replace the Dutch skunk, no easy task no matter what you might think about that prick! He’s done his best, but of the departures that the club are facing this summer, in my mind Giroud would be by no means the most damaging. The timing feels right, especially if we can find an upgrade.
I’m taking this with a pinch of salt, but if he should leave he would go with my thanks.
He’s not going!
Giroud gives us strength and height, I would sell him but it depends on who we will get to replace him.
Giroud doesn’t get enough goals for me but in certain games and against certain teams he is better upfront than a pacy forward who doesn’t have height or strenght.
On a different subject who the hell are we going to get to replace all these so called players that are going without offering champions league football.
I still quite want to see us sign ahmed musa. He’s at Leicester, and if they get relegated, he’d be available. Hard working, can play anywhere up front, and works well from the wing. He’s also got a long throw in his locker.
“all these so called players”
What?
‘Interactive poo meter.’ That doesn’t sound like something I want to use.
Anyhoo, let’s hang on to the hfb, I quite like him, even if he’s a bit one dimensional.
I’m not sure you understand. When it comes to poo meters, what could be better than an ‘interactive’ one?
It’s the first stage on the path to truly interactive toilet roll, something every kid dreams of.
Needs to buy a razor 1st. He’s like our not so little hobo.
If you are going to wilfully damage your appearance. Have you considered cornrolls?
He’s angling for a Gillette sponsorship prolly. 🙂
Giroud, like Welbeck are in that awkward territory of being great ‘squad members’ but too good to be just left on the bench, yet not good enough to start every game or be the main man..I love Giroud – not like I love Bobby P but a kind of “I’m glad you wore the shirt and I’ll always have a warm place in my Arsenal memory bank” kind of love. If he goes, I won’t cry but I’ll be a little sad and If if he stays, I’ll continue to appreciate both his tenacity (at times) and his lovely beard.
”In short, a summer wouldn’t be a huge surprise”.
Not an enormous surprise, no, but knowing how unpredictable our weather can be we may transition from Spring directly to Autumn.
Özil out, Sanchez out, Ox out, Wilshere out, Perez out, Giroud out, Wenger In. Silent Stan and the Crusty Board will not be happy until we are fighting for 10th place.
No one’s left yet bro. Oli just signed a new contract in case you’ve forgotten.
Bring back Yaya Sanogo #LANS
Even after the Invincible years, I remember the days when we had Dutch Skunk, Adebayor, Eduardo, Vela, and Bendtner to choose from to lead our line.
Now we have Alexis, Giroud, Welbeck, Lucas (in theory), Walcott (if we are desperate), and Sanogo (if we are realllllllllly desperate) as options. Oh how times change…..
I don’t care who anyone thinks we should have had instead of Giroud, this man has carried some serious water for the club since he arrived. The fact is the club were not going to get the pie-in-the-sky dream signings, and he’s been a very solid player for us.
Play the ball, not the man. It’s the club that didn’t buy you whatever shiny little toy the latest trend tells you you want.
He’s got my respect and I want us to keep him if he’s happy here.
It’s baby bathwater and the goddamn mother all out the window these days with Arsenal fans.
Absolutely agree, and I don’t think there’s any player who gets fouled as much as Oli. If he was awarded the free kicks and penalties that he should get he’d be on 40 goals a season. I like him a lot and hope he stays.
He was a monster against Borough and City. Ask their Cb’s, they’ll tell you how difficult it was to keep him quiet. Obviously, you can’t expect much from him in a 4-3-3(where Welbz is far better) but, he still tries to adapt and do the job using his intelligence and flick-ons. Giroud is a bully and we need him to mount a meaningful PL challenge.
Without Giroud we are nowhere as good in set pieces and GK,CB’s can’t play long balls when under pressure.
I would keep Giroud for at least one another year. Gives us options others don’t. Stays fit all season long. Fourth best minute per goal ratio in the Prem this season after Kane, Gabbiadini and Gabriel Jesus. Saving our arses year in year out despite children who base their views on footballer’s quality on whether he has 90+ pace on FIFA bashing him on social media. He’s an amazing footballer – and I mean it. Deschamps knows very well why he picks him as a first option for a striker in the national team so often. And hey, it works for… Read more »
One thing i will day is whoever we replace him with has to have an impeccable fitness record – Giroud has been so important because you can pretty much guarantee he will be fit for 90% of games, something that you can’t say about many others in our squad and a really underrated quality
Yes please let it be true
gooner barry someone going begging next season Defoe shoots on sight would score plenty and free money up for the board to spend elsewhere
This is a real bummer.
On one hand our game needs to b based to fast intelligent interlink movement play, n axmore mobile striker would suit us better.
On the other hand Giroud is a very gd ‘option b’ tt ‘offers something ‘different’ kind of player.
I’d keep him if he could accept bring an impact sub while alexis/ danny heads the top, with iwobi/ theo/mesut/ ramsey taking the 2 berths below the striker.
The most important thing is to stick to 352 next season!
Don’t think this move will happen, but I can see a fair few international players who aren’t playing as much looking for moves to ensure their World Cup place. I expect to see mid-table sides like Stoke, Utd & West Brom to pick up some high profile players during the summer.
Love Giroud, but it’s an area where we can get an upgrade. Please tell me we are kidnapping Mbappe!