Olivier Giroud says his Arsenal exit was driven by Arsene Wenger wanting a different kind of striker, and that is why he felt his time was over before his January 2018 move to Chelsea. Olivier Giroud had joined Arsenal from Montpellier in 2012 for £9.6million, scored 105 goals and won three FA Cup titles, so this was no minor parting of ways.
Wenger's different striker
"I needed to leave Arsenal because of the fact that Arsene Wenger wanted to play with a different kind of striker," Giroud told mirror.co.uk. He added: "My time was over in Arsenal and I was really pleased to sign [for] a big club like Chelsea."
That explanation fits the move that followed. Arsenal had committed to Giroud in 2012, but by the time he left, he was clear that the fit had changed. His numbers at the club still stand out, 105 goals and three FA Cup titles, which is why the exit still feels like a significant one in hindsight.
Giroud also said he settled quickly at Chelsea and felt part of the team soon after arriving. He spent three-and-a-half years at Stamford Bridge and worked under four managers there, a reminder that the move brought him into a very different environment from the one he had left behind.
His comments will land again whenever Lille or Chelsea come into the frame, but the central point is simple enough. Giroud is saying the Arsenal chapter ended because Wenger wanted a different profile up front, and the January 2018 switch to Chelsea followed from that.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
