Olivier Giroud has revealed he was desperate to move away from Chelsea last winter, and he was even to even sign for North London rivals Tottenham.
The Frenchman completed a Stamford Bridge move in the summer of 201, also from North London rivals Arsenal, after scoring 105 goals in 253 total appearances for the Gunners.
However, after failing to land a regular first-team action for the Blues under head coach Maurizio Sarri, the 32-year-old began to consider his future with the club.
With the appointment of club legend Frank Lampard as head-coach, Giroud was still lower in the pecking order of strikers at the club, with Tammy Abraham favored over him.
He became heavily linked with a move away from the Blues in the winter window of the 2019/20 season, with reports that a number of clubs from Italy were seeking his signature.
However, Frank Lampard convinced the striker to stay put, promising hi more game time, and the target man delivered stupendously.
After finding a regular role in the second half of the campaign, Giroud became a fan favorite as he scored 10 goals in 25 total appearances to help Chelsea finish in the UEFA Champions League spot.
Giroud has now come out to reveal that he was very close to a winter exit last season in search of first-team action as he was hugely left out in the cold at the first half of the campaign.
He even admitted that he was so desperate for a move that nearly signed for arch-rivals Tottenham.
Speaking to So Foot, he said: “During the last three days of the transfer window, I was in the coach’s office to find a solution. I was hoping Chelsea would find a replacement for me.”
“For my part, it was not the solutions that were lacking: I almost signed for Lazio, Inter… I was even so determined to leave that I even almost signed for Tottenham!”
Giroud was an unused substitute in Chelsea’s 3-1 victory of Brighton and Hove Albion in their first game of the Premier League season yesterday as new man Timo Werner was favored ahead of the Frenchman. Perhaps Giroud’s time at the blue side of London is drawing to a close.
