Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud has admitted that he came very close to departing the Premier League club in the most recent January transfer window.
Inter and Lazio showed a particular interest in signing the French national team forward but could not get a deal done for him and Chelsea then proceeded to exercise an option they had to extend his contract by a further season.
“I was close to leaving the club but I didn’t really want to,” Giroud explained in an interview with British news outlet The Guardian.
“I needed game-time for the Euros and it’s true I spoke with the gaffer regarding maybe letting me go for another challenge. He said ‘yes’. He understood my situation. He was a player and we always had a great understanding regarding my future.”
The former Montpellier striker then went on to reveal that Chelsea manager Frank Lampard was a huge factor in him deciding to stay with the Stamford Bridge club, who he joined from Arsenal back in January 2018.
“When he told me that I was going to have more chances to show, I just trusted him, and I really want to fight for it, like I have done before at Arsenal. My motivation was very high. He gave me the opportunity and I just tried to pay him back. It feels like a new start. I want to win more trophies with Chelsea.”
This season Giroud has found his playing time significantly limited with him having been far from first choice throughout the campaign.
He has been limited to just under 700 minutes in total on the park, which have been spread across 13 appearances across all competitions to date, in which he has scored three goals.
