Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud has been strongly linked with a move to Everton in the transfer window, here is why it would be a great move.
Manager Ronald Koeman has lofty ambitions for his Everton side, and according to The Express has identified Arsenal centre-forward Olivier Giroud as a key target to achieve those goals.
The French international only started 11 games in last season’s Premier League and a move to Merseyside could be mutually beneficial for him and the club.
It is no secret that Romelu Lukaku was the main source of goals for The Toffees before his move to Manchester United, but it is not only the person they will miss but the style of player and attributes he brings to the team. Giroud could be brought in as a direct replacement for the Belgian.
The 30-year-old is one of the most effective strikers in The Premier League in the air, his movement to pull on to the shoulder of defenders and rise above them would suit Everton to the ground – a team who focus on getting the ball out wide and deliver crosses regularly into the box, often to great effect via full backs such as Leighton Baines and Seamus Coleman.
Lukaku and Giroud both registered six goals from headers last campaign, only three players (Michail Antonio and Christian Benteke both seven, Fernando Llorente eight) scored more. Somewhat of a like-for-like replacement in those terms.
Perhaps the biggest asset that the ex-Montpellier striker can bring to the team, and the biggest criticism that Lukaku didn’t, is effective link-up play. Koeman has always favoured possession based football with midfielders encouraged to drive forward and feed off the supply line from strikers. Giroud is brilliant at utilising his large frame to outmuscle defenders and hold the ball up, and almost always releases the correct or intelligent pass into oncoming players to best progress the attack.
Koeman has identified the need for the midfield to contribute more of an attacking output, hence the signing of Davy Klassen/Wayne Rooney and the attempt to bring in Gylfi Sigurdsson. Giroud’s unselfish play – the 6 ft 4 man has notched 41 assists during his Arsenal career – would help to combat that issue.
Generally speaking, Giroud would be a fantastic capture for a club like Everton – capped 64 times by France and with 98 goals in just 159 starts for the North-London club the pedigree is there for all to see.
With Lukaku’s departure, the signings of Rooney and Sandro Ramirez were swiftly completed, but Everton have still failed to fill the void of a big, physical presence who can dominate in opposition boxes. With Premier League experience and quality in abundance, if obtainable, they won’t go far wrong with Olivier Giroud.
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