West Ham United and Crystal Palace are still hoping to sign Olivier Giroud despite the fact that the veteran striker only recently signed a new contract at Chelsea, according to The Express.
If Blues fans thought that the France international had put any speculation to bed, agreeing fresh terms until 2021, they are sadly mistaken.
The ink may still be drying on a deal that looked set to keep Giroud at Stamford Bridge for another year.
But, as the Express points out, there is still a chance that the 33-year-old could be moving to a rival Premier League outfit in the off-season.
The report adds that Giroud could force a move if he feels that he is unlikely to play regularly in 2020/21, with his place in France’s European Championship squad under threat.
And considering that Chelsea are set to sign Timo Werner, a place on the bench is beckoning with Tammy Abraham set to remain a key part of Frank Lampard’s plans.
Crystal Palace and West Ham, however, could both offer Giroud the guaranteed starts he needs to ensure he remains Didier Deschamps’ first-choice frontman.
What’s more, the former Arsenal favourite is expected to be available for as little as £7 million.
Perhaps that new contract was merely an insurance policy, with Chelsea keen to ensure they did not lose a valuable commodity for free.
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