This time, more doubt: Olivier Giroud will indeed return to Ligue 1. Thirteen years after leaving Montpellier for Arsenal, the French striker (38 years old) will join Lille, where a one -year contract awaits him and the heavy responsibility to succeed Jonathan David on the tip. If the LOSC has not yet formalized its signature, the former Tricolore international confirmed him at a press conference last night after his last match with the Los Angeles FC.
“I think that the French are happy that Paul Pogba (who signed up until 2027 to AS Monaco, note) and I returned to the French championshiphe said at the end of the defeat conceded by the Californian team against Vancouver (0-1), in Major League Soccer. If you had asked me the question a few years ago, I would have told you that it was not the project to come back. The LOSC has checked a lot of boxes for me and for my family. »»
Olivier Giroud wants to be “a link between young people and the staff”
Fifths of Ligue 1, the DOGUES will compete in the Europa League next season and Olivier Giroud will have playing time. Landing in the North, the ex-drummer of the Gunners will also approach London, where he has many ties.
“I hope I can be useful to the team, being a leader in the field and outside, a link between young people and the staff, he explained. I am also excited to play the Europa League. Lille is a big club in France. »»
It remains to be seen whether the top scorer in the history of the Blues can always evolve at the highest level, he whose balance sheet at the LAFC will have been very thin (5 goals in 38 matches in all competitions). “I have made a lot of effort and my best. I would have liked to have more impact on the team, on the results. In the end, it was a good experiencehe said. I need to start a new challenge, and when I had the opportunity to return to France, I seized it.“”
