Ex-Arsenal Star: Arsene Wenger Helped Facilitate My Ideal Exit

By The Editor
on 20th February 2018

Olivier Giroud grateful to Arsene Wenger for making Chelsea move happen…

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Arsenal star Olivier Giroud revealed that his great relationship with Arsene Wenger allowed him to secure a move to Chelsea in January despite the Blues being direct rivals for a top-four spot.

Giroud immediately sought a move away following the arrival of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Dortmund, though many thought a swap-deal was in order given the German side’s apparent interest.

However, it quickly became clear that the Frenchman wanted to remain in London for family reasons and it looks like Wenger has no problem handing him to a direct rival.

It was the third time we sold to a domestic club in the January window, with Theo Walcott joining Everton, and Alexis Sanchez travelling north to Manchester United.

It’s not the first time Wenger has helped facilitate the ideal move for a departing player, irrespective of the interests of Arsenal Football Club.

Cesc Fabregas thanked Wenger for lowering our asking fee so he could move back home to Barcelona, and it looks like Giroud has been given a similar pass.

“The coach immediately told me, ‘Do not worry, I’ll do my best to make you happy’,” Giroud told France Football.

“I knew that he would not cause problems given the relationship we had always had.”

Speaking about the move in general, Giroud says he thought of his family when deciding on a destination.

“Since the beginning of my career, the order of priorities has always been: first the athlete, then the family, then the money. At Arsenal, the future darkened with the arrival of a new striker. I wanted to be happy again by playing, so I left.”