Arsenal star holds ‘secret hope’ over next season under Wenger

Joe Williams

Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas says Olivier Giroud told him that he is hoping to become Arsenal’s main striker next season.

The Frenchman only started 11 Premier League matches last season, scoring 12 goals and creating three more for his team-mates.

Lyon have now joined Marseille in approaching Arsenal over the potential transfer of Giroud but the 30-year-old apparently has his heart set on competing for the striking position at the Emirates.

“There has been an approach to Giroud,” Aulas told L’Equipe.

“He is a boy we like, who scores a lot of goals and who has a lot of ambition for [next year’s World Cup in] Russia.

“He told me himself that he wanted to take him time, that things were not completely clear with Arsenal, and he has the secret hope to be the No 1 attacker at Arsenal next season.”