In a surprise turn of events, Chelsea have confirmed that striker Olivier Giroud has extended his contract at the club amid strong links with Milan.
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It seemed as though Milan were closing quickly on the signing of the Frenchman, but all has now changed. For example, Calciomercato.com reported this morning that Giroud’s arrival is becoming increasingly probable and this could be the decisive week in negotiations for the French striker, whose contract is set to expire.
They even reported that Chelsea have decided not to stick with the ex-Arsenal man and that Milan have found an agreement principle over a two-year deal at about €4m net per season and Giroud himself is house shopping in Italy.
As confirmed by Chelsea’s official website however, the Frenchman has now extended his contract until 2022. The 34-year-old’s current deal was due to expire at the end of this campaign but the extension means his three-and-a-half-year stay in west London continues for another year.
Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia said: “Olivier has been such a crucial part of so many big moments for this club, from his contribution to our FA Cup victory in 2018 to scoring 11 goals on the way to winning the Europa League in 2019.
“He has continued to score significant goals, and we will never forget his effort against Atletico Madrid on the way to winning the Champions League this season. With so much to still to play for, there was only one decision we could make when we exercised the option to extend his contract back in April.”
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