Chelsea close on Giroud as three-way deal nears conclusion

James Marshment 29 Jan 2018 7:55 PM

Chelsea are on the brink of securing the signature of Olivier Giroud from Premier League rivals Arsenal after officially ending their interest in Edin Dzeko.

The Blues had been close to signing former Manchester City striker Dzeko in a double deal with his Roma teammate Emerson Palmieri, but the deal for the Bosnian has broken down over his wage demands.

The Gunners have agreed a fee with Borussia Dortmund for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and France striker Giroud – already concerned by his lack of playing time at Emirates Stadium – is set to be pushed even further down the pecking order.

Giroud is looking to get more game time under his belt in a bid to cement his place in France’s World Cup squad after falling badly out of favour under Arsene Wenger this season.

The Gunners are keen to strike a permanent deal for Giroud, but he could join on an initial loan to spark a chain of events that could see Michy Batshuayi move to Dortmund as Aubameyang’s replacement.

Chelsea had initially been keen on landing Dzeko, but the 31-year-old’s wish to be handed a three-and-a-half-year deal on high wages is thought to have ended their interest.

Instead, Chelsea are in advanced negotiations for Giroud, who joined Arsenal as a replacement for Robin van Persie back in 2012.