Chelsea is set to complete a sensational triangular trade of strikers this January with a bid for Arsenal’s forgotten man, Olivier Giroud.
Chelsea, Arsenal and Dortmund are poised to complete what basically amounts to a three-way trade of strikers. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to Arsenal looks nearly done. Dortmund, though, wants to bring in a replacement before agreeing to the deal and has its sights set on Chelsea’s Michy Batshuayi. Antonio Conte is hesitant to sanction the loss of his only backup striker until the Blues find a replacement of their own. Enter Olivier Giroud, Arsenal’s forgotten man.
A move for the French international makes a great deal of sense ahead of this summer’s World Cup. Giroud finds himself in the peculiar position of starting for Les Bleus over fellow Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazette but cannot get a game at club level.
Aubameyang’s arrival sends him further down the pecking order at the Emirates. France has one of the finest stables of strikers in the world. Giroud will need an excellent finish to the season to earn a spot on the plane to Russia. He is unlikely to accomplish that at Arsenal.
Meanwhile, the media has linked Chelsea with every forward over six feet tall. A deal for Edin Dzeko has unsurprisingly stalled. The Roma striker, understandably, wants enough compensation to pick up stakes and the security of a longer contract. The Blues’ policy of only completing short-term deals for players over 30 complicates matters. Giroud, at 31 years of age, wants to play and stay in London. Thus, he is more open to a shorter contract.
Alvaro Morata’s is in a rough patch after a fine start to life at Stamford Bridge. Giroud’s ability to bring other into play while serving as the focal point of the attack could see the Spaniard flourish if played together. Indeed, this is similar to the role the Chelsea striker played at Juventus where he combined with Fernando Llorente.
Transfer deadline day is the opportunity to see if Arsenal Chelsea and Dortmund believe transfers are a non-zero-sum game. It is possible for all three teams and all three players to benefit from the moves.
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With Manchester City romping to the title and Arsenal out of the FA Cup, Chelsea and Arsenal are only competing for spots in next year’s Champions League. It is possible for both to benefit. However, it carries the risk of strengthening a direct rival, who, in turn, would also strengthen the other. Wenger and Conte’s long-term futures are in doubt though; these short-term fixes simply make too much sense for them.