Everton’s attempt to wrap up a quick deal for Olivier Giroud is looking unlikely but they still have hope of signing him this summer, according to the Telegraph.
The newspaper claim that Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger will not sell Giroud until he has a clear idea over the future of Alexis Sanchez, who has entered the final year of his contract without signing an extension.
The Telegraph report that Everton, West Ham and Marseille want to sign the striker, 30, but they will have to bide their time due to the uncertainty over Sanchez.
Wenger admitted when facing the media in Sydney on Tuesday morning that he has no idea if the Chilean forward will see out the final year of his contract or commit to a new one.
Arsenal are also pursuing left-winger Thomas Lemar but the Telegraph claim that a deal is looking unlikely after two bids of up to £40million were rejected by his club Monaco.
Giroud is in the Arsenal squad that has touched down in Australia and appears set to continue with the club he joined in 2012 for some time while Arsenal look to solve their transfer riddle.
It has been widely reported that the masterplan of Everton manager Ronald Koeman is to pair the France international with new signing Wayne Rooney in a little-and-large front two in the upcoming season.
According to Transfer Market Web, the Giroud is on the verge of joining Everton and the deal is in line to be sealed by the end of the week.
That now appears impossible given that the Frenchman is on the other side of the world and it appears more likely that the Merseysiders will have to hold out until later in the summer.