Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud has been linked once again with a switch to Italy in January with Inter Milan reportedly ready to make a move, according to Calciomercato.
Giroud has seen his match action diminish this season and the 34-year-old may well jump at the opportunity to play more football as he approaches the twilight of his career.
Nerazzurri manager Antonio Conte, who previously took charge of Chelsea, has been chasing the World Cup winner for the last two transfer windows, and according to Calciomercato, is likely to try again in January.
Giroud is believed to be seen as a low-cost signing and, with his Chelsea contract set to expire next summer, clubs could wait and sign him for free in July. However, the Serie A outfit reportedly want to fast-track a deal and will offer to take the Frenchman with a fee involved.
Capped 102 times by France, Giroud has only featured for 154 minutes across six appearances for the Blues this season. Since arriving at Stamford Bridge from London rivals Arsenal in January 2018, the experienced striker has played 94 times for the Blues, scoring 19 times.
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Chelsea and Frank Lampard are unlikely to stand in the way of an exit for Giroud should suitable interest arise, even midway through the season, a notoriously tricky time to do business.
With the plethora of forward options currently at Lampard’s disposal, it’s unlikely Giroud would see his game time increase any time soon. The only consideration would be the sheer volume of games ahead as well as the hectic schedule which has already lead to plenty of injuries across the Premier League.
Should Giroud be allowed to leave in search of more football, with Michy Batshuayi out on loan at Crystal Palace, Lampard may be tempted to dip into the market himself and find a backup for Tammy Abraham and Timo Werner.
