Olivier Giroud: Pundit discusses player leaving Chelsea
Olivier Giroud has revealed he had his heart set on a move to Inter Milan in the January transfer window after talking with Antonio Conte while he also names Tottenham as a club who expressed interest in signing him. Giroud had hardly featured for Chelsea in the first six months of the season with Tammy Abraham leading the line for Frank Lampard's side.
"It was all done, but in the end Chelsea didn’t want to let me go.
"I could only leave on the condition they found a replacement. I still hoped to leave on January 31.
"Everyone knows that Inter’s sporting project was the most interesting for me.
"Them aside, Lazio and Tottenham also looked at me.
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Olivier Giroud wanted to go and work with Antonio Conte again (Image: GETTY)
"At one point, it was a question of where I wanted to play. I talked to Conte on the phone, he’s known me from when he took me to Chelsea: that was an advantage for me.
"In addition, Inter play in the Champions League. They’re a great club.
"Lazio, for their part, tried absolutely everything, even coming to London to try something, but the deal was blocked.
"I also talked on the phone to Lyon’s President, who expressed an interest in me, but I told him that my priority was going to Inter."