West Ham United have been linked with a January move for Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud and not for the first time. The Frenchman is said to prefer to stay in London but it appears Italian giants Inter are interested in taking the 33-year-old to Milan as reported by Nicolo Schira – potentially throwing a spanner in the works.
Schira’s name will ring a bell in the minds of West Ham fans as he was the first reporter to break the news regarding the summer signing of Sebastien Haller but those who wish to see Giroud arrive will hope he’s wide of the mark this time around.
TIF Tactics – A World Cup winner and an asset to anybody who will have him
Giroud has, at times, been on the end of unfair criticism. The France international has lifted the World Cup and throughout his time in England has proven himself to be a competent striker. He’s scored 78 goals in 224 Premier League appearances and has often displayed an ability to bring others into the game with his exemplary hold up play.
Given his age and very specific playing-style, he doesn’t necessarily fit into every team’s system but he’s an extremely useful player to call upon from the bench. That may be how Frank Lampard looks at things but in Giroud’s own mind he will no doubt feel he can offer more and warrants a starting place in a Premier League side.
It remains to be seen whether the lure of Inter would be enough for the striker to uproot his family and move abroad but it’s a situation West Ham will be monitoring closely in the weeks leading up to the opening of the transfer window.