Former Arsenal and Chelsea star Olivier Giroud says he was ready to join Tottenham in January 2020
AC Milan and France striker Olivier Giroud, who once played for Arsenal in the Premier League, has now revealed that he really considered joining Tottenham Hotspur a few years ago.
The French striker was often ridiculed at Arsenal for not being a prolific goalscorer. He had Robin van Persie’s shoes to fill all those years ago, and unsurprisingly, he found it extremely difficult.
However, as years went on, Giroud became a real threat. After winning multiple FA Cups with Arsenal, Arsene Wenger sold him to Chelsea in 2018, and the now-35-year-old won a number of trophies at Stamford Bridge, including the Champions League.
Now a league winner at AC Milan, Giroud has opened up about his difficult days, and he has revealed that he was once prepared to join Arsenal and Chelsea’s fierce London rivals, Tottenham.
Olivier Giroud says he was ready to join Tottenham
Speaking in a press conference this week, Giroud said, as quoted by Football Italia: “At that time (January 2020), I was not getting regular playing time at Chelsea, I was the third-choice striker, so I tried to find a solution with Frank Lampard,” he said during a press conference.
“I couldn’t remain in that situation. I wanted to leave, but Lampard told me that he needed a replacement. He promised me that I would have had more chances and gave me the opportunity to do so, I think I scored eight goals in the final ten games of the season, thank God we qualified for the Champions League.
“At that time, Italian clubs were very interested. At one point, Inter told me that they no longer had money to sign me. I had done everything to leave, I also met Lazio’s sporting director Igli Tare, a gentleman, he came to Heathrow airport just to meet me.
“I was so desperate to leave that I even told Lampard that I’d have joined Tottenham because I knew that José Mourinho wanted me. In the end, I think it would have been difficult because I had played for Arsenal.”
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It’s unusual for players to play for two of London’s biggest clubs, let alone three.
Giroud, branded as ‘incredible’ by Theo Walcott, still has a few fans at Arsenal despite some of his antics at Chelsea after he won the Europa League with them. However, if he had moved to Tottenham, he would’ve joined the likes of Emmanuel Adebayor and William Gallas in Gunners fans’ list of players they really, really dislike.
However, if it had happened, Giroud would’ve been a great fit for Spurs. The Frenchman is the perfect player for Jose Mourinho’s system, and even though he would’ve only played as a backup to Harry Kane, he could’ve had a real impact.
Giroud, now 35, is still going strong in Italy at AC Milan, where he played a big part in helping them win the Scudetto last season.
