"I would have joined Tottenham" - Former Chelsea star claims he was desperate to leave because of Frank Lampard
AC Milan striker Olivier Giroud has said that he considered joining Tottenham Hotspur due to his lack of playing time at Chelsea under then-manager Frank Lampard.
Giroud, who joined the Rossoneri on a two-year deal last summer, played a key role in AC Milan's title-winning campaign. He featured in 38 games across competitions, registering 14 goals and four assists.
Earlier in 2020, he was on the verge of moving to Italy when he grew frustrated at Chelsea due to his lack of involvement on the pitch. Speaking during a recent press conference, as quoted by Football Italia, he said:
"At the time, I was not getting regular playing time at Chelsea; I was the third-choice striker, so I tried to find a solution with Frank Lampard. I couldn't remain in that situation. I wanted to leave, but Lampard told me that he needed a replacement."
The 35-year-old continued:
"He promised me that I would have had more chances and gave me the opportunity to do so. I think I scored eight goals in the final ten games of the season; thank God, we qualified for the UEFA Champions League."
He's won the Ligue 1 title at Montpellier.
He's won the FA Cup at Arsenal.
He's won the FA Cup, Europa League & Champions League at Chelsea.
He's won the Puskas award.
He's won the World Cup with France.
He's won Serie A with AC Milan.
Olivier Giroud's trophy cabinet 🤩 https://t.co/uci5sHwnre
He added:
"At that time, Italian clubs were very interested. At one point, Inter told me that they no longer had the money to sign me. I did everything I could to leave. I also met Lazio's sporting director Igli Tare, a gentleman. He came to Heathrow Airport just to meet me."
The former Arsenal and Montpellier striker concluded:
"I was so desperate to leave that I even told Lampard that I would have joined Tottenham because I knew that Jose Mourinho wanted me. In the end, I think it would have been difficult because I had played for Arsenal. Destiny wanted me to be here, wearing the Rossoneri shirt."
During his three-and-a-half-year stint at Chelsea, Giroud contributed 39 goals and 14 assists in 119 games across competitions. He helped the Blues lift the UEFA Champions League, the UEFA Europa League and the FA Cup.
Chelsea to offer £14 million for Cristiano Ronaldo
According to Football Insider, Chelsea are set to table a £14 million bid for Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo, who is seemingly on his way out of Old Trafford this summer. The report states that new Blues co-owner Todd Boehly and manager Thomas Tuchel have had talks over pursuing the striker.
#MUFC insisting there’s no change to their position on Cristiano Ronaldo. Club say he has a year remaining on his contract and is not for sale
The 37-year-old is interested in joining a club where he can continue playing in the Champions League. He is currently on leave from training with the Red Devils due to family reasons.
Ronaldo had an impressive season last time around, despite his team's woes, top-scoring for the club with 24 goals in 38 appearances across competitions.