Crystal Palace are looking to sign Chelsea ace Olivier Giroud in the January transfer window. The French international is said to be frustrated with how things are working out for him at Stamford Bridge. His lack of action under Chelsea boss Frank Lampard is pushing the former Arsenal and France international to make a dash to the other side.
Eagles manager Roy Hodgson is reportedly aching to have a reliable scorer in his squad, and he believes that Giroud will be perfect for the job. Hodgson considers the Frenchman to be the answer to all his problems in the attacking department.
The 33-year-old Giroud has not started a game for Chelsea since August, fuelling his frustration. He has talked to Lampard about his plans of making a move out of Stamford Bridge by January.
Giroud’s contract with the Blues is set to expire at the end of the season, and the lack of action may see him missing out on next summer’s European Championships.
Lampard is still keen on having the Frenchman on his squad but as a backup to Tammy Abraham, who has been displaying stellar performances. But, Giroud is looking to revive his career somewhere else and hopes to have a club by the New Year.
The Eagles were also keen on signing Michy Batshuayi, but the Blues turned them down. Batshuayi was on loan at Selhurst Park last season. The Belgium international’s performance was spectacular, prompting Hodgson to make it permanent. Lampard, however, was reluctant to release any players after the club was slapped with a ban for two transfer windows.
Lampard is also willing to have a second look at Giroud’s performance before the year ends.
Giroud was signed by Chelsea from Arsenal in January 2018 for about £18 million. This year, he signed a one-year extension on his contract. However, Lampard has been focusing on younger talents, forcing Giroud to sit on the bench often.
If the Blues are not going to release the Frenchman for free, they would only be asking a transfer fee of £3 million. The amount is not going to be an issue with the Eagles as they still have the majority of the £45 million from Manchester United for Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
Italian giants Inter Milan are also showing interest in Giroud and could likewise be a contender to make a move for the striker next year.
