France international Olivier Giroud could make a move to Everton this summer after Borussia Dortmund decided to keep hold of Pierre-EmerickAubameyang for the campaign.
The Bundesliga outfit had been strongly linked with a move for Giroud over the past week, but this interest is likely to diminish with sporting director Michael Zorc citing that Aubameyang would stay put at the club.
According to The Telegraph, the Toffees are now favourites to wrap up a deal for Giroud, who is valued at around £20m by Arsenal.The French marksman was a regular starter from the substitutes’ bench over the course of the previous campaign, and the arrival of Alexandre Lacazette has increased speculation of him leaving the Emirates.
Giroud has continued to show his commitment to the north London club, but the offer of regular first-team football at a domestic rival could be hard to refuse – with the World Cup coming along next year.
The striker has earned a regular spot alongside Antoine Griezmann in the France setup, and the lack of first-team action could hinder his prospects of maintaining his role with a young Kylian Mbappe and Lacazette providing competition.
The Frenchman made just 17 starts for the north London giants last term, but he still racked 16 goals and assisted a further six – including the FA Cup winning goal which Aaron Ramsey scored.The former Montpellier man has three more years left on his Arsenal contract, and this puts the club in a comfortable position to discuss their demands with potential suitors.
Giroud has had his doubters at Arsenal over the years, but he has still managed an appreciably tally of 98 goals in five seasons at the club. In addition to his scoring, the marksman is also one of the Premier League’s best in terms of hold-up play, and this provides his teammates with the freedom to push forward in attacks.