Chelsea‘s striker Olivier Giroud said the signing of RB Leipzig forward Timo Werner is a great move for the club and the German striker will be a great motivation for other strikers at the club. “He is going to be a very good signing and more motivation for strikers”, Giroud said.
Since the news broke that Chelsea football club has agreed terms with the German international, critics of Giroud have been speculating that the 33-year-old French international will be the major casualty of Timo Werner‘s arrival at the club.
Even without a prolific striker like Werner at Chelsea, the 2018 FIFA World Cup-winning striker has been tagged a ‘super-sub’ in the Premier League as he has found it almost impossible to break into Coach Frank Lampard‘s first team.
This season, he has only managed to start at least twice and it was the period Tammy Abraham was down with an injury. Besides that, he has been second fiddle to 22-year-old England international in most part of the season.
Olivier Giroud is used to challenges
Giroud’s lack of playing time has almost forced him out of Chelsea in January because his lack of playing time at Chelsea was about to cost him his spot in the French national team. If not because of the coronavirus pandemic that halted football and forced the Euros 2020 to be postponed until June 11, 2021, Giroud could have been left out of the French team.
“All through my career, I have always been through difficulties,” he told The Guardian. “The best thing to do is to bounce back. I was close to leaving the club but I didn’t really want to. I needed game-time for the Euros and it’s true I spoke with the gaffer regarding maybe letting me go for another challenge. He said ‘yes’. He understood my situation. He was a player and we always had a great understanding regarding my future.
“When he told me that I was going to have more chances to show, I just trusted him, and I really want to fight for it, like I have done before at Arsenal. My motivation was very high. He gave me the opportunity and I just tried to pay him back. It feels like a new start. I want to win more trophies with Chelsea.”
Also, the Frenchman was almost about to leave Chelsea as a free agent this summer as his old contract with the club had less than a month before it was renewed in May. He was given an extra one season to prove himself at the club.
Lampard has taught Tammy Abraham About competition ahead
Meanwhile, Frank Lampard said on Friday that long before Chelsea made a move to bring Timo Werner to Chelsea, he has spoken to Tammy Abraham about ‘competition’.
“I don’t have to address every player if another one comes in”, the coach noted. “It’s how it has been in the Abramovich era, but Tammy has been very good this season. ‘We have had options and pleased with the idea of that.
“He has been fantastic this season. He has to sustain and improve because at Chelsea we have demands. ‘I am happy to have options and competitions for places.”
