Barcelona could make a shock move and sign Chelsea forward Giroud in the January transfer window, it has reported.
The Catalan giants lost one of their key players in Luis Suarez to injury, and he is likely to feature again for Barcelona this season.
As per the Independent, Barcelona’s new manager Quique Setien needs a new striker in the January transfer window and could swoop in for Giroud, who could be a “short-term option” for the La Liga leaders.
The report states that Inter Milan were also interested in the French striker, but that deal doesn’t seem like it will progress anytime soon.
Giroud’s contract with Chelsea expires in the summer, and it’s unlikely that the two parties will agree to a new deal. The French World Cup-winning striker has featured in just 7 games in all competitions for the Blues under Frank Lampard, scoring just one goal.
Olivier Giroud to Barcelona – Makes any sense?
Barcelona need reinforcements in attack to fill the massive void left by Luis Suarez’s injury. The Uruguayan’s knee injury will keep him out for the rest of the season, which is a big worry for Barcelona, who do not have many options up front.
Antoine Griezmann can play in the Suarez role, but that would leave Barcelona without a top quality left-sided player.
Signing a very good striker in the winter transfer window would require the Catalans to pay over the odds as most selling clubs would be unwilling to let go of their key players.
It makes sense for Barcelona to sign a short-term replacement, one that could fill in for Suarez until the end of the season before Barcelona sign a new first-team striker in the summer.
Olivier Giroud would be a shrewd signing for Barcelona as he has a lot of experience and can play the lone striker role very well. An added bonus is his chemistry with Antoine Griezmann, as the duo helped France lift the World Cup in 2018.
His physical presence, hold-up play, and ability to score crucial goals could make him a good signing for Barcelona in this window, and it’ll be interesting to see how he combines with Lionel Messi, considering his one-touch passing in the final third is a joy to watch.
Giroud is in no way a long-term option for the La Liga side as he turns 34 later this year, but he can make an impact and add another option for Setien.
