According to Guardian, Chelsea have opted to activate a clause that could see Olivier Giroud extend his contract until 2021. Tottenham Hotspur courted the striker among many others. But, it seems manager Frank Lampard is ready to keep him at the club for another campaign, thus dealing a massive blow to Spurs’ hopes of signing the Frenchman.
Giroud’s resurgence at Chelsea
Giroud was almost destined to leave Stamford Bridge after failing to win over Lampard for the majority of the campaign. Before his substitute appearance against Manchester United in February, the forward had only played in five league matches, failing to score a single goal.
However, against Tottenham Hotspur in mid-February, Giroud shockingly started over Tammy Abraham in the number nine slot and played a starring role in a fantastic 2-1 win over the Lilywhites. It was followed by a couple of excellent performances against Bournemouth and Everton, where the Frenchman led by examples.
His performance against Everton, in particular, helped his club seal a convincing 4-0 victory, helping them remain one step ahead of fifth-placed Manchester United. At the same time, Giroud managed to win the trust of Lampard and would now presumably be considered as a primary alternative for Abraham next season.
Why Giroud could have been perfect for Spurs
Tottenham Hotspur have lacked the services of a proper alternative for Harry Kane following the departure of Fernando Llorente. Giroud, in that regard, would have been an ideal number two for Jose Mourinho in the goalscoring department. He has a considerable amount of experience at the highest level of football, having made 229 appearances in the Premier League.
Not only that, but he also has a positive track record of scoring goals. The Frenchman has netted 80 goals in the English top-flight and 39 goals for his country. Also, Giroud has experience of playing in Ligue 1 while he has also won the FIFA World Cup 2018 with France, meaning he could undoubtedly have injected the winning mentality in the Tottenham side.
But, what would have made Giroud such an appealing target is his style of play. Indeed, the Chelsea star is often known for his aerial qualities, combined with his work-rate and physicality – making him an excellent target-man.
It would have allowed Mourinho to employ a plan B, with Giroud leading the line and wingers like Son Heung-Min and Steven Bergwijn putting in crosses from the wide areas of the pitch. But, with the Frenchman set to stay at Chelsea for another season, the Lilywhites will now have to look elsewhere.
