Olivier Giroud is looking for a two-year deal worth £60,000 a week as Crystal Palace and West Ham United prepare to battle for Chelsea’s Premier League veteran, as reported by Calciomercato.
Now, there’s always danger when handing a lengthy deal to a man in his mid-30s.
Arsenal found that out the hard way. The staggering three-year deal they handed to Willian last summer looks longer and longer with every overhit cross and anonymous cameo.
Giroud obviously still has a lot left to offer – that wonderful overhead kick against Atletico Madrid came just two months ago after all.
But it’s easy to forget how impressive Willian was in his final season at Stamford Bridge, producing 11 goals and nine assists before moving across London on a free transfer.
Something to consider, then, as Crystal Palace and West Ham weigh up summer bids for the soon to be unattached Giroud (Calciomercato).
The 2018 World Cup winner is asking for a two-year deal that would tie him down until the age of 36.
He’s also looking for a minimum weekly wage of about £60,000 a week, with the overall package costing about £6 million.
Of course, that’s a more than acceptable fee for a striker with 87 Premier League goals on his CV, a supreme link-man Eden Hazard once called the world’s best.
But with West Ham and Crystal Palace both prioritising young up-and-coming talent capable of fitting into a fast-paced, hard-running game plan, 34-year-old Giroud is hardly a tailor-made fit.
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