Twitter reacts as Olivier Giroud leaves Arsenal to join Chelsea for £18m

It's been a merry-go-round transfer saga involving three strikers and finally all deals were finalised on Deadline Day. Three clubs - Arsenal, Chelsea, and Borussia Dortmund - were involved as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Olivier Giroud, and Michy Batshuayi switched clubs on 31 January.

Arsenal were in talks with Dortmund to sign Aubameyang and the German club only let him go if they signed a replacement. Enter Chelsea's Michy Batshuayi who became their target. He also passed his medical at the club and made the move to the Bundesliga.

Chelsea needed a replacement and identified Giroud as the ideal player. The French striker not only wanted game time before the World Cup but also wanted to stay in London.

And in the end, the Blues signed the 31-year-old for a fee in the region of £18m. Here's how Twitter reacted to the signing.

I spent five and a half amazing years within the arsenal family. This beautiful story ends today. Thank you for your warm welcome. I would like to especially thank the fans for their unconditional support upon my arrival #nananana #ThankYou pic.twitter.com/GofNGAi3pW

— Olivier Giroud (@_OlivierGiroud_) January 31, 2018

Welcome to Chelsea, @_OlivierGiroud_! 👍#GiroudIsBlue pic.twitter.com/rY1VRsgyYk

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) January 31, 2018

105 - Since joining in 2012, Olivier Giroud scored 105 goals in all competitions, 25 more than any other Arsenal player in that time. Au Revoir. pic.twitter.com/miloaeSEcz

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 31, 2018

Arsenal's top Premier League goalscorers since the start of the 2012/13 season:1. O. Giroud -- 73 goals ❌2. A. Sanchez -- 60 ❌3. T. Walcott -- 39 ❌4. M. Ozil -- 27 ✅5. A. Ramsey -- 26 ✅ pic.twitter.com/fzMrYV18Ke

— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) January 31, 2018

Farewell @_OlivierGiroud_. A good footballer who always worked hard & gave 100%. I respect that, even though he was never at the level of Wrighty, Thierry, Dennis or RVP (& Aubameyang!) I wish him well at Chelski. pic.twitter.com/UcZL5YqZHX

— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) January 31, 2018

So goodbye Olivier Giroud. You were one of the best looking humans I've seen in an Arsenal shirt. Thanks for song and the scorpion kick and being really good as a sub when everyone had slowed down to your pace.

— Ian Stone (@iandstone) January 31, 2018

This window we've lost Walcott (108 goals), Giroud (105) and Sanchez (80), meaning the top scorer left at the club is Aaron Ramsey with 50

— Tom Ede (@TomEde1) January 31, 2018

Goodnight sweet prince. @_OlivierGiroud_ - You're always welcome back at the Emirates, always a fan favourite. Score against Spurs. Good lad. pic.twitter.com/c7WaPkrNbo

— The 2Ö21 Man (@_The12thMan) January 31, 2018

Giroud a solid signing for Chelsea. Definitely a better option than Batshuayi who has been shipped off on loan to Dortmund.

— michael owen (@themichaelowen) January 31, 2018

27 – Since his debut in August 2012, Olivier Giroud has scored more headed goals in the Premier League than any other player. Height. pic.twitter.com/nJ6zTP8SZj

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 31, 2018

Don't care what anyone says, Giroud is an Arsenal hero. Love him, will always love him.

— Lewis (@LGAmbrose) January 31, 2018

"Hi, Olivier, tell Antonio you're coming home now" pic.twitter.com/x4F7Jf67b0

— Goonersphere.com (@Goonersphere) January 31, 2018

This hurts me more than Alexis to United. pic.twitter.com/rAPJV6Wv8g

— Mike Sanz (@mikesanz19) January 31, 2018

Giroud. Might never have been world class, but gave us more moments to celebrate as a fan, than any other Arsenal player in the last decade.

— Ball Boy (@fraudballer) January 31, 2018

Olivier Giroud sliding back into the Champions League on BT Sport like... pic.twitter.com/82I7PI7Ee6

— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) January 31, 2018

Walcott, Coquelline , Alexis, Gabriel, Giroud all Gone 😣 Wenger still in.. Arrrrrrgh! 😒😖

— CrossJay (@CrossJay6) January 31, 2018

Now that Giroud has left, it’s time I admit that his scorpion kick goal was 100% luck and he was just trying to copy the great Mkhitaryan and his goal which was undeservedly mocked as offside.

— Aubameyang FC (@ArsenalRealm) January 31, 2018

Chelsea fans better not sing our Giroud song. We invented that after stealing it from The Beatles. Make up your own tune.

— GoonerGordo2 (@GoonerGordo2) January 31, 2018

Dortmund got Batshuayi as a replacement for Aubameyang after Arsenal got Aubameyang as a replacement for Giroud after Chelsea got Giroud as a replacement for Batshuayi.#DeadlineDay pic.twitter.com/FeuKhFd57I

— JΛY BUCKS 🇦🇺 (@TheMasterBucks) January 31, 2018

We went from Wright to Henry to Van Persie to Giroud so he got a lot of stick at the start. But he always gave his all and became the best player he possibly could. One of the good guys.

— Paddy (@VieiraPaddy) January 31, 2018