Giroud: Why I chose to stay at Arsenal
French forward Olivier Giroud has opened up about his decision to remain an Arsenal player, saying something in his “soul and heart” convinced him to stay, reports The Evening Standard.
The arrival of £52.7 million star Alexandre Lacazette at The Emirates appeared to open the door for a Giroud exit, but the Frenchman chose to stay, despite being tracked by a heavy host of European clubs, including Borussia Dortmund, Everton, West Ham and Marseille.
Giroud did admit that he became slightly frustrated at his lack of game time last season, while he spent quite a bit of time on the bench. However, when he has played, he has scored some crucial Arsenal goals, including coming off the bench to score a dramatic winner against Leicester in the Premier League curtain raiser on Friday.
Giroud has played 165 times for the Gunners since his arrival in 2012, and has scored 70 goals, on his way to becoming a fans favourite at The Emirates.