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Published 19:45 IST, July 10th 2022

Olivier Giroud makes startling Tottenham discussion claims with Lampard before Milan move

Former Arsenal and Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud has made startling revelations of a time when he considered making a move to London rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

Reported by: Vidit Dhawan
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Image: AP | Image: self
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Former Arsenal and Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud has made startling revelations of a time when he considered making a move to Tottenham Hotspur. Since the Gunners and the Blues are London rivals with Spurs, a move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium would have undoubtedly not gone down too well irrespective of the Frenchman's situation.

Olivier Giroud reveals he considered moving to Tottenham Hotspur

Due to his lack of game time at Chelsea under coach Frank Lampard, Olivier Giroud revealed that he was so desperate at one point that he considered making a move to Tottenham Hotspur. "At that time, I was not getting regular playing time at Chelsea. I was the third-choice striker, so I tried to find a solution with Frank Lampard," said the former Arsenal striker in a press conference.

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The 35-year-old revealed that he could not remain in that situation by adding, "I wanted to leave, but Lampard told me that he needed a replacement. He promised me that I would have had more chances and gave me the opportunity to do so. I think I scored eight goals in the final ten games of the season. At that time, Italian clubs were very interested."

During his time at Stamford Bridge, Giroud won three major trophies. He lifted the FA Cup in 2017/18 before winning the UEFA Europa League a year after. However, his biggest trophy came in his last season in 2020/21 when he won the UEFA Champions League. He played a crucial role in the title win as he scored six goals in eight appearances.

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As for his desperation to join Tottenham, Giroud added, "I was so desperate to leave that I even told Lampard that I’d have joined Tottenham because I knew that Jose Mourinho wanted me. In the end, I think it would have been difficult because I had played for Arsenal. Destiny wanted me to be here, wearing the Rossoneri shirt."

Olivier Giroud helps AC Milan win Serie A

After having a few appearances under Frank Lampard at Chelsea, it did not take long for Olivier Giroud to reestablish his worth at AC Milan. The Frenchman helped the Rossoneri win the Scudetto after scoring 11 goals in 29 appearances for the club. If the 35-year-old were to continue his fine form, he could also make it to France's FIFA 2022 World Cup squad later this year.

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19:45 IST, July 10th 2022