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Olivier Giroud has made no secret that he welcomes competition for places in the Arsenal side, saying a big club like Arsenal should always have several options in attack.
The Frenchman spoke openly about transfer speculation, namely reports linking Arsenal to various strikers, and Giroud says he fully understands the clamour from the fans and media.
“It is true that every year here there is speculation about a new striker signing,” he told BeIN Sports.
“There were seasons when we signed Sanchez and Welbeck, others when we were talking about Suarez.
“It is obvious that in a club, a team, where a lot is expected, we need several good attackers and I understand that the fans want that we spend more money.”
In what will come as a surprise to many, Giroud seemed to lament the club’s alleged failed pursuit of Real Madrid ace Karim Benzema. It was widely expected that Benzema would be the man to replace Giroud in the XI had he joined the club, with the Los Blancos man boasting a superb goal scoring record.
When asked if he believed Arsenal would enter the market again this year, Giroud said he is unsure and seemingly rues the club missing out on Benzema.
“It is not up to me to answer this question, the coach knows very well what he is doing, and sometimes you should not buy just to buy, and sometimes there are not players out there that you need, who are available.”
“We have a very good squad, with quality, and I am sure that with this squad we can go very far. Aside from that, it would have been good if Karim had signed too, eh?”
The two are of course compatriots and teammates for the French national side, and you wouldn’t expect any bad blood. Good on Olivier to put the team first, and he acknowledges how much of an asset another forward would be to the club.
Whether or not another striker does indeed join however, Giroud himself will still have a massive part to play in the club’s fortunes. Different opponents and situations will call for different tactics, and Giroud’s attributes will be crucial still. If he is banging in the goals, he will get time on the pitch regardless of who joins.
