Speaking to L’Equipe (translated by Sport Witness), Olivier Giroud has stated his desire to remain at Arsenal for the foreseeable future.
Giroud joined Arsenal from Montpellier during the summer of 2012 for a fee believed to be in the region of around £9.6 million and it has to be said that the Frenchman has proven to be a decent signing for the Gunners.
Although Giroud has often been subjected to criticism from a section of the Arsenal supporters for his apparent lack of mobility, the striker’s goalscoring ratio at the Emirates Stadium has been more than decent.
Giroud has managed 85 goals in 194 appearances for Arsenal so far and he claimed a personal best haul of 24 goals last season.
The 30-year-old also enjoyed a fruitful time representing the French national team at the European Championships and he has managed to silence his doubters in over the past year or so.
Despite his exploits though, Giroud has struggled to retain his place as a regular starter for Arsenal during the current campaign – partly due to injury after the Euros and partly due to Alexis Sanchez currently flourishing in an attacking position.
Now Giroud has gone on to speak regarding his lack of playing time this season and has stated that while he cannot stay on the bench for extended spells, he is hopeful of remaining at Arsenal for the next couple of years.
The Frenchman told L’Equipe, “If my game time continues to stagnate, it will affect my future selection. I cannot play one game in five. After, we must not make the audit (judge too soon) in early November. And my future, I see it at Arsenal for two or three years I hope.”
Giroud has been making important contributions from the bench for Arsenal in recent times and if the French international can continue to impress, he could well earn a start in the coming weeks.