West Ham and Crystal Palace interested in Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud
West Ham are in the hunt to sign Olivier Giroud on a free transfer with the striker’s Chelsea deal due to expire in the summer, according to CalcioMercato.
The Italian news outlet claims Giroud, 34, is also attracting attention from Crystal Palace while Chelsea would like to see the ex-Arsenal man stay at Stamford Bridge.
It is understood that Giroud could also move to Italy in the summer amid previous links to Juventus, Inter Milan, Lazio and Roma.
‘Underrated’
Giroud is someone who’s been around for a long time in the Premier League.
The France international, who’s been called up to the French squad for Euro 2020 this summer [Independent], has scored 90 times in 255 appearances in England’s top-flight while also winning the FA Cup four times and one Europa League.
This season has been a tough one for Giroud but the striker has still scored 11 goals in 31 appearances across all competitions for Chelsea, with four of those goals coming in one match when he put Sevilla to the sword in the Champions League in December.
After that match, Gary Lineker took to Twitter to dub Giroud as “the most underrated striker in the game”.
Whether you agree with that or not, it’s tough to see him being a great signing for West Ham in the summer transfer window.
We’ve seen in the past how the Hammers have struggled to sign a really good centre-forward and we’ve also seen experienced players come to the club and fail despite earning big-money.
Giroud would be a great signing but if he’s our only addition up front in the summer, we’d be slightly worried.
But, as someone to provide an extra option in front, he’d be superb.
In other West Ham news, this “world-famous” Hammer is wanted by a club in Europe and a loan-to-buy deal is on the cards.
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