Chelsea to activate Giroud contract option for next season

Veteran striker Olivier Giroud is the kind of player who puts in 100 per cent effort each and every time, regardless of opposition. It is one of the reasons why he’s been so successful in the Europa League, scoring nine goals in nine games thus far in the competition. It is also one of the reason why Chelsea, according to head coach Maurizio Sarri, will be looking to pick up the contract extension option on the former Arsenal-man’s contract.

“Yes, of course. I know the club have an option for another season, so I think he will remain. I think [that he wants to stay].”

-Maurizio Sarri; source: Goal

Giroud has been keeping his options open, knowing that he’s a wanted man back in France but preferring to stay in England. Above all however, he just wants to play. And while this season he may have to settle for second fiddle to Gonzalo Higuaín, the Sarri favorite probably won’t be here next season. Depending on how Chelsea’s transfer ban appeal turns out, Giroud may in fact be relied on as the solid, consistent option alongside youngsters Tammy Abraham and Michy Batshuayi.

Either way, Giroud will be giving it his all.

“From the moment the coach puts you on the field, you have to do everything to be the best possible. I try to do it. It is true that I am more often starting in Europa League and I try to be decisive each time. Of course an attacker is evaluated on being decisive or not. There is the work next door too but it’s a real pleasure to score a lot of goals.”

Giroud has a well-earned reputation of contributing with more than just goals, but as an unfortunate side-effect, his goalscoring abilities have always gone a bit under-appreciated. Sometimes that’s been understandable — he did after all go the entire World Cup without a shot on target — but sometimes that sentiment’s been somewhat misplaced. The 32-year-old has scored in double digits every season since 2007, when he was just starting out as a 20-year-old playing in the lower divisions of the French football pyramid.

“I score the majority of my goals in a touch of the ball. In the surface, to be effective, you usually do not have much time. It is necessary to go as quickly as possible, to have the good gesture and the cold blood. It is the instinct of the attacker, it must be in itself. But of course it works: the gesture, the movements, the typing technique, the intelligence of the game... All work that is not necessarily seen by the general public.”

-Olivier Giroud; source: RMC Sport via Google Translate

We may not see all the work and tiny details of Giroud’s contributions, but we can certainly appreciate the end results — especially when he’s in tremendous form as he is these days.