Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud attracted interest from Tottenham Hotspur in January.
According to The Telegraph, Chelsea forward Olivier Giroud is stalling on a pre-contract offer from Lazio after receiving January interest from Tottenham Hotspur.
It’s claimed that, with Giroud’s Chelsea contract expiring this summer, Lazio have made the striker an offer to make the move to Italy at the end of the season.
However, Giroud isn’t keen to rush into such a deal, and is willing to wait before making a decision on his next club despite being able to talk to any foreign club now.
Spurs were keen to sign Giroud in January, and the striker’s reluctance to commit to Lazio suggests he may be willing to see what Premier League offers come his way.
Giroud can’t yet talk to English clubs due to pre-contract rules, but Tottenham’s interest will surely have grabbed his attention ahead of becoming a free agent.
Giroud has spent almost eight years in London, having joined Arsenal from Montpellier in 2012, before heading to Chelsea in January 2018.
Tottenham would be able to offer Giroud the chance to extend that stay in the capital, with the main obstacle to a January move – Chelsea – out of the way once his contract ends.
According to the report, Spurs saw Giroud as a player similar to Fernando Llorente, in that he can offer a veteran target man presence off the bench when required, whilst having enough quality to fill in for Harry Kane.
That would still likely amount to more playing time than he’s currently receiving at Chelsea, so it would be little surprise if Tottenham’s interest really is the reason Giroud is stalling on Lazio.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
