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According to Sky Italy, Inter Milan are looking to sign Olivier Giroud from Chelsea this summer. Inter already have two top quality strikers at the club in the form of Romelu Lukaku and Lautaro Martinez, who are both coming off incredible individual seasons. Inter are, however, interested in signing a back-up striker in the current window.
Giroud joined Chelsea in January of 2018 from Arsenal and has scored 13 goals in 58 appearances. In his first full season at the club, he became the first Chelsea player to score 10 goals in European competition in a single season.
After a slow start to life at Chelsea, Giroud refound his form last season, especially after the Premier League restart post-COVID-19 lockdown. Giroud managed to displace Chelsea youth product Tammy Abraham from the starting role towards the end of the campaign.
Abraham enjoyed a successful first full season at Chelsea, scoring 15 league goals for the club. Frank Lampard, however, preferred to start Giroud because of the French striker's experience, strength, link-up play and resurgence in form.
Giroud has been one of the underrated strikers in the Premier League. He has scored 86 goals in 238 appearance for Arsenal and Chelsea, but his game has always been much more than just scoring goals.
His qualities have made him a regular starter for the France national side, for whom he has made 99 appearances for. He's scored 40 goals for his country, which makes him its third highest goal-scorer.
Inter Milan looking to offer Giroud a way out of Chelsea
Giroud will see his playing time reduce this year after Chelsea spent £47.7 million to sign German striker Timo Werner from RB Leipzig this summer. Chelsea will also prefer to back Abraham as the second-choice striker, as he is a bigger prospect, given that he is 22, fast and a potential future England striker.
Giroud would reportedly only cost Inter Milan €5 million, due to him being 33 years old and having just a year left on his current deal with Chelsea. Giroud, however, is a fan favorite and has a good relationship with Frank Lampard, who will be reluctant to let the Frenchman go.
Giroud may fancy a move to Inter Milan, like many former Premier League players before him have. Inter Milan has been the club to give Premier League players a second chance, or a new lease of life. They have signed Romelu Lukaku, Ashley Young, Alexis Sanchez, Victor Moses and Christian Eriksen from English teams.
All the above mentioned players were either suffering from a lack of playing time or a dip in form during the final stages of their time in England. Inter Milan and manager Antonio Conte have realised the potential of these players and given them another chance to play for a big club in Europe.
Inter Milan made their ambitions clear last season. They finished as runners-up in the Europa League and in Serie A in 2019-20, and were disappointed to finish the season trophyless. The signing of Giroud would be an astute one, as he would add quality and depth to the Inter Milan attack.
