West Ham United and Crystal Palace have been linked with Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud in the January transfer window.
Steve Nicol has told ESPN FC that Olivier Giroud has to leave Arsenal, with West Ham United and Crystal Palace reportedly interested in him (according to The Mirror).
Giroud is struggling for playing time at Arsenal at the moment and has been relegated to the role of a substitute this season.
The France international striker has been linked with moves away from the Gunners in the January transfer window.
A recent report in The Mirror claimed that Giroud could leave the Gunners on loan in January, with London clubs West Ham and Palace interested in him.
Palace are struggling for survival in the Premier League at the moment, and although Christian Benteke is back scoring goals, a proven and quality goalscorer such as Giroud would only enhance their chances of escaping the drop to the Championship at the end of the season.
West Ham have the likes of Javier Hernandez and Andy Carroll on their books, and the Hammers are also in danger of going down to the Championship.
Giroud joined Arsenal from Montpellier in the summer of 2012 for a transfer fee reported by The Express to be worth £12 million.
Liverpool legend Nicol, who now works as a pundit for ESPN, believes that Giroud has to leave Arsenal in order to play regularly, although he seems to have suggested that the 31-year-old France international should part company with the North London club at the end of the season.
Nicol told ESPN FC about Giroud: “If he wants to play, he has to leave Arsenal, and I do believe that he wants to play. I think if he has a decent World Cup, that’s certainly going to help his case because he will be with France.”
“Giroud has to go,” added Nicol. “He can’t stay at Arsenal.”
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