Olivier Giroud says his decision to leave Chelsea for AC Milan was an “obvious choice”, with the French striker admitting that life at Stamford Bridge had become “too difficult”.
The World Cup-winning frontman brought a nine-year spell in English football to a close over the summer, with the former Arsenal star opting to take on a new challenge in Italy.
He walked away with FA Cup, Europa League and Champions League triumphs to his name, but with fierce competition for places in west London forcing him to accept that a fresh start had to be made at 34 years of age.
What has been said?
Explaining to Telefoot why he took the decision to swap London for Milan, Giroud said: “I liked the Premier League, but at some point, I had to make a decision.
“I told [Thomas] Tuchel that the last three months had been too difficult.
“It was an obvious choice to leave Chelsea, I moved on with great emotion for all the moments we experienced. Some were good, some others not so much, but we won three important titles.”
What are Giroud’s targets now?
Giroud’s time in England saw him score 105 goals for Arsenal and a further 39 for Chelsea, with over 370 appearances taken in across spells with two capital giants.
He is already off the mark in Milan, with two efforts registered across four outings.
The France international has linked up with another veteran goalscorer in the form of 39-year-old Swedish star Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and Giroud believes title glory is a realistic target for an ambitious Rossoneri squad.
He added: “Zlatan is a legend and there will be a real competition between us.
“I can score at least 15 goals, that’s what I hope. If I play every game, that’s what I expect.
“I hope [we can win the Scudetto], we have the quality and young players. It’s a clear target we have.”
Milan sit second in the Serie A standings at present, two points behind leaders Napoli – who are yet to drop a point – after six games.
