Arsenal: Olivier Giroud crunch talks must be delayed

Olivier Giroud’s agent reportedly wants to have crunch talks with Arsenal regarding the Frenchman’s future. For the Gunners to have a successful close to the year, Arsene Wenger must delay them until the summer.

Olivier Giroud wants to leave Arsenal. Now, I cannot exactly say that for sure. I do not know Giroud personally. I do not know what he is thinking. I do not know his state of his mind, his feelings and his desires for his future. But I can say this: Olivier Giroud should want to leave Arsenal.

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This is a man who is used to playing week-in-week-out: he has been the starting striker in North London since his signing in the summer of 2012 and has been the number one for the French nationals, which is especially crucial in a World Cup.

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But since Alexandre Lacazette entered the fray this year, Giroud has seen his role significantly reduced. He has started just one game in the Premier League this year, which was a midweek fixture where Arsene Wenger was perhaps as much concerned with resting Lacazette as he was starting Giroud, and has been restricted to Europa League and Carabao Cup ties.

For Giroud, that is not a role in the squad that will please him. Now, he did know that this would be the structure of his season in the summer. Wenger did not hide that from him. And Giroud himself has revealed that it was his decision to stay, coming extremely close to signing with Everton, which Ronald Koeman himself has bemoaned as a reason for their struggles earlier this season.

And now, there are a growing number of reports stating that Giroud’s agent, Michael Manuello, is wanting to enter into crunch talks with the Gunners over a January departure.

For Arsenal, that would be a huge problem. With Lacazette the only fully-fledged striker in the squad, if Giroud were to leave, then it would leave extremely limited options in the squad behind Lacazette. Moreover, of the options that Wenger could turn to — Danny Welbeck, Theo Walcott, Chuba Akpom –, they are similar type strikers: Quick and rangy that utilise movement and speed.

Giroud provides an element of versatility because of the unique abilities that he possesses. His combination of size, strength and stature is different to any attacker in the squad. He provides Arsenal with a threat that is utterly unique. Losing that would be significantly restricting to the strategies that Wenger can employ, especially late in the game if chasing a goal.

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Giroud may now want to leave. But that does not mean that it can be allowed to happen. Perhaps, in the summer, it makes more sense. Wenger has the opportunity to acquire another alternative, to develop them and mould them into the style of the team. But in January, it does not make sense.