Arsenal: Olivier Giroud Departure Sad And Yet Exciting

Olivier Giroud is being linked with a move away from Arsenal, with Marseille being touted as a possible destination. While an exit would be sad, it would bring an exciting future.

Footballers, by nature, want to play football. One of the key tasks of a modern day manager is to handle his players, players that can often become disgruntled with life at the club if opportunities are not readily available. That is quickly becoming the case at Arsenal.

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Over a series of years, Arsene Wenger has slowly, quietly, but rather effectively, assembled a deep and varied squad. There are a host of top quality players who are perhaps deserving of regular starts who Wenger cannot play on a consistent basis thanks to the superior options available to him.

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One of these is Olivier Giroud. The Frenchman has been the starting centre-forward for a number of years at the Emirates, with Wenger enamoured with his aerial prowess, his physical power, his exquisite touches and flicks, and his link-up play that knits together tight, intricate, sweeping attacking moves. However, he lost his starting role to Alexis Sanchez early in the year and, despite a run of games midway through the year, has since seen his role reduced to little more than a late-game substitute.

As such, he has become disillusioned with life at the Emirates and is now reportedly wanting a move away from North London. The most touted destination has been Marseille and, while Arsenal will clearly be wanting to recoup their value, it is a transfer that makes sense, both for Giroud and the Gunners.

There is certainly a unique aspect that Giroud brings to Arsenal’s attacking play that few other players can offer. However, if he were to leave, it would force a rather hesitant Wenger hand into his pocket to invest at the position. And it could well see an exciting prospect enter the premises.

The likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette and Romelu Lukaku could all be possible avenues that Wenger looks to pursue in the summer. But it would be unlikely to see Wenger acquire one of the upper echelon strikers without first selling Giroud to make room for them in the squad.

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Although it would be sad to see Giroud leave the club, it would also bring an element of excitement, and the potential for improvement, to the summer transfer window, one that Arsenal and Wenger would be wise to invest in.