Arsenal: Olivier Giroud News Offers Timely Contract Reprieve

Olivier Giroud has stated that he will sign a new deal. Amid the mire of Arsenal’s many contract discussions, the news comes as a welcome reprieve.

Paul Merson, a usually dum-witted pundit who just this week stated that Hull City should have pursued a British manager before promoting Thierry Henry as a prime example (yes, I know…) said something on Sky Sports that really perked my interest. When discussing Arsenal and their contract troubles, Merson pointed out that while he was at the club, the remaining years on his contract never dipped below two.

Currently, in the squad, Santi Cazorla, Per Mertesacker, Yaya Sanogo and Gedion Zelalem all have six months remaining (the first two are likely to stay with the club exercising a year-long extension). These are the players with 18 months remaining: Mesut Ozil, Alexis Sanchez, Aaron Ramsey, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Kieran Gibbs, Carl Jenkinson and Jack Wilshere, who is currently on loan at Bournemouth.

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You can also add Olivier Giroud to that list. That is a mire of messy, concluded, uncertain futures, driven by Arsenal’s, and most likely Arsene Wenger’s, complacency in re-signing many of the primary contributors in the squad.

Giroud’s latest statement, then, that he is set to sign a new deal with the Gunners, is a welcome reprieve:

"“We are about to reach an agreement for an extension [to my contract]. It was also a gesture of confidence, I want to continue the adventure here in this family of Arsenal. I feel good here. When I spoke to the coach, he always told me that I was an important player. I know what I am capable of. I just needed to be patient, to work in training and wait for my hour to come.”"

The towering Frenchman has been in scintillating goalscoring form this year, scoring six in the Premier League, averaging a goal every 73 minutes. The next best ratio with more than five goals is Sergio Aguero, having scored a goal every 104 minutes. His utility has changed, seeing his role reduced to a reserve, late-game replacement state with Alexis Sanchez usurping as the spearhead of the attack.

However, over a long and arduous season, such players are still extremely useful. Goals can be hard to come by, especially when the primary approach, one of incisive, quick, intricate passing, can be stifled easily when all the cylinders are not firing.

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Giroud is still an extremely valuable member of this squad, as are many of the other players with their contracts quickly winding down. His impending signing is a welcome reprieve from what has been a season in which contracts, Arsenal and bad news go hand in hand in hand.

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