Former Arsenal and Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud has admitted that it would have been weird to accept the chance to seal a transfer to Tottenham due to his Gunners connections.
The France international left Chelsea to join AC Milan this summer, but is perhaps best remembered in England for his five and a half years with Arsenal.
Giroud scored 105 goals for the north London giants, and earned a reputation for netting some stunning solo efforts, most notably his scorpion kick strike against Crystal Palace in the 2016/17 season.
Still, it seems Giroud had the chance to move to Tottenham this summer, in what would have been a controversial move due to their rivalry with Arsenal.
The 35-year-old may have left Arsenal for Chelsea earlier in his career – a slightly controversial switch in itself – but it’s clear he still felt attached enough to AFC that he felt it would have been too weird to also represent Spurs.
“Tottenham was interested and Jose Mourinho was interested. But I was so close to signing for Inter, for Lazio, I was desperate for game time,” Giroud told the Daily Mirror.
“Tottenham was there but, to be honest, it was not a clear option because the race for the Premier league top four made it difficult for anything to happen.
“But also in my heart, as a proper ex-Gunner, and as we always say: ‘Once a Gunner, always a Gunner.’ It would have been very weird to have played Tottenham. That’s why it didn’t happen.”
Giroud could have been a useful signing for Tottenham to give them more depth up front, but in truth it’s hard to imagine the fans would’ve warmed to a former Arsenal player.
Then again, it has happened a few times in recent history, with Emmanuel Adebayor, William Gallas and David Bentley ending up at Spurs after spells at Arsenal, while Sol Campbell famously moved in the other direction.
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