Serie A giants Inter Milan have reportedly made a £3.4 million offer for Chelsea outcast Olivier Giroud, but the Blues are holding out for a bigger fee.
As per a report from The Guardian, Serie A league leaders Inter Milan have taken a step towards signing wantaway Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud in the ongoing transfer window, by submitting a formal bid. But, their offer is believed to be well short of the Blues’ valuation of the Frenchman.
Giroud signed for Chelsea from London rivals Arsenal back in January 2018. The 33-year-old has gone onto represent the Blues on 70 occasions, scoring 19 goals and setting up 13 more, winning an FA Cup and the UEFA Europa League trophy in the process.
However, Giroud, whose contract expires in the summer, has found it hard to get regular playing time in the 2019-20 campaign under new Chelsea boss Frank Lampard, mostly due to Tammy Abraham’s blistering form. The French World Cup winner has featured just seven times across all competitions this term, netting just a solitary goal.
With the UEFA Euro 2020 coming up in a matter of months, Giroud has made his intentions clear that he seeks regular playing minutes in order to earn a place in the France squad for the summer’s tournament. With that not forthcoming at Chelsea, he has set his sights on a move away from Stamford Bridge.
And Inter Milan have shown a strong interest in signing the 33-year-old Frenchman. The Nerazzurri, under new boss Antonio Conte, are looking to end Juventus’ reign as serial title winners and have made a great start to the season. However, a long-term injury to on-loan forward Alexis Sanchez has forced Inter to dip their toes into the January market for reinforcements.
And Conte, who signed Giroud at Chelsea two years ago, is keen on a reunion with the seasoned striker. To that end, Inter have made an offer of £3.4 million (€4 million) to secure the Frenchman’s services. The report further states that Giroud has already agreed terms on a contract with the Serie A heavyweights.
However, Inter’s offer is unlikely to be accepted by Chelsea, with the report claiming that the West Londoners want €10 million for Giroud. The Nerazzurri are hopeful of pushing through a deal before the transfer window slams shut, but have identified Fernando Llorente as a possible alternative should they fail in their bid to sign Giroud.
It is almost certain that Giroud will be leaving Chelsea in January, with the Blues already looking at other options such as Metz striker Habib Diallo, to boost their attacking unit. But, it remains to be seen if the Frenchman gets his desired move to Inter.
