Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud has hinted that he could be open to joining AC Milan during this summer’s transfer window.
It was suggested in recent weeks that the Frenchman could join the Rossoneri on a free transfer with his contract expiring in June.
However, the whole dynamic has now changed, with the Blues confirming that they have triggered a clause to extend his stay for 12 months.
When asked about the Milan speculation on France duty, Giroud said that the Rossoneri are a big club and one of the great teams in Europe.
However, he did not talk about his future as he emphasised that his current focus is with Les Bleus and the upcoming European Championships.
He told Goal.com: “I want to make it clear that Chelsea reactivated the clause in April, and they recently announced it to comply with Premier League rules.”
“It’s fair to remember that I liked [Milan legends] Marco van Basten and Andriy Shevchenko. Milan are a big club and one of the great teams in Europe.
“But, today, I will not talk about my future at the club because I am focused on the France team and the Euros, which is fast approaching.”
Giroud struggled for playing time during the final months of last season, with Timo Werner and Kai Havertz preferred ahead of him to lead the line.
He played just 137 minutes of first-team football between March and May. He could assess his options with the transfer window about to open.
The Blues are actively searching for an elite striker, which could drop Giroud further down the selection order ahead of the 2021/22 campaign.
The striker’s main focus for the moment is the Euros, where it is uncertain whether he will get the nod for the starting line-up with Karim Benzema’s recall.
Benzema is back in the mix after a six-year exodus. The Real Madrid star has been fancied to take up Giroud’s role up front in the upcoming tournament.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com
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