Chelsea and France striker Olivier Giroud completes his move to AC Milan for €2 million on a two-year contract until 2023. The 34-year-old underwent a medical on Friday for his new club. Last month, Chelsea extended Giroud’s contract until 2022 but the player wanted a new challenge in his career and AC Milan’s project attracted the World Cup winner.
Giroud started his career with Ligue 2 side named Grenoble and after a couple of loan spells, he was signed by Montpellier where the player scored 39 goals in 85 appearances and helped the side to win the Ligue 1 in 2012 which earned him a move to Arsenal.
Giroud became one of the key members in the Gunners squad managed by Arsene Wenger and lifted the FA Cup and FA Community Shield thrice and scored 105 goals in 253 appearances. He is the 6th highest goal-scorer in Arsenal’s history.
The player was then roped in by city rivals Chelsea in 2018 and won the UEFA Europa League in 2019, FA Cup in 2018 and recently lifted the UEFA Champions League during his three-year stay at Stamford Bridge. The player also clinched 39 goals in 119 appearances for the Blues. One of the key reasons for his departure is his lack of game time under Thomas Tuchel. Chelsea preferred Timo Werner as the main striker this season.
The player has been lethal for France as he’s the third-highest top scorer in French football team history with 39 goals and was also a regular starter under coach Didier Deschamps World Cup-winning side in 2018.
Giroud would be hoping to regain his form under Stefan Pioli’s AC Milan which finished second last season in Serie A and will be playing in the Champions League after an 8-year absence from the competition. The striker will play alongside Zlatan Ibrahimovic who’s recovering from a knee injury and is in doubt to start next season campaign currently.