Crystal Palace are interested in signing Chelsea forward Olivier Giroud, as per The Sun. The former Arsenal striker wants to leave Chelsea next month after falling down the pecking order at Stamford Bridge (h/t The Sun).
In fact, the 33-year-old wants to play regular first-team football in order to turn out for France at the Euro 2020 finals next summer (h/t The Sun).
Giroud is a good striker and is a proven goalscorer in the Premier League. Having played just 192 minutes in the Premier League – and only 17 minutes in the Champions League for the Blues so far this season – it does make sense for the Frenchman to leave next month.
With Palace currently short of strikers, the World Cup-winning Frenchman would be a valuable option. A reliable choice at low risk, he fits the bill perfectly and has shown that he can score in the league.
Giroud may be 33 but he can still do a brilliant job in the Premier League. He is a proven goalscorer and is one of the very best in Europe when it comes to playing with his back to the goal.
At Chelsea, the emergence of Tammy Abraham has pushed him down the pecking order. Abraham has firmly established himself as the first choice striker at the club and in recent weeks, Michy Batshuayi has made sporadic appearances ahead of Giroud as well.
Meanwhile, Roy Hodgson’s side are in a desperate need of firepower. The Eagles have struggled to get going this season and their lack of goals is enough to epitomize the need for a new striker.
Giroud has only featured in 7 games across all competitions this season so far, scoring once in the UEFA Super Cup battle against Liverpool.
Palace are in need of options in the attacking department, as Ayew and Benteke have not managed to score goals on a consistent basis. In Zaha and Townsend, they have wingers who run non-stop and put in venomous balls into the box but Giroud’s presence and his goal-poaching ability would take things up a notch.
Verdict
With plenty of Premier League experience after playing for Chelsea and Arsenal, Giroud has proved to be deadly in front of the goal. Palace are struggling to find the back of the net on a regular basis and signing the Frenchman would be a shrewd piece of business.
