Welcome Olivier Giroud . . . and an M’Vila update
Arsenal today confirmed the signing of Montpellier and French national, Oliver Giroud. Giroud 25 comes to Arsenal after leading the attack for the surprise Ligue 1 Champion’s and netting 24 goals in all competitions (21 league and 3 in cups).
The signing is the second of the summer for Arsenal as Wenger looks to add more scoring depth to the Roster. Lukas Podolski was announced immediately after the end of the season and together with Giroud represents a major overhaul in the attacking options of the squad. Right now Arsenal look to have one of their best assembled attack forces in recent memory – and that doesn’t include the world’s greatest (in his own mind) striker Nicklas Bendtner.
For certain, the signings provide Arsenal will suitable options based on opponent or in the course of a game coming off the bench.
We’d like to celebrate Giroud’s arrival with our first video produced in conjunction with our new video producer Culann Davies –
Arsene Wenger had this to say on Giroud: “We are delighted to have secured the signing of Olivier Giroud. He has a very good physical presence and is exceptional in the air, with a great work ethic.
“We are excited about Olivier joining us and he will add an additional dimension to our attacking options next season. “He has proved that he is capable of performing at the top level with club and country, and we saw what a big influence he was in Montpellier’s championship-winning side last season. We all look forward to Olivier joining us and seeing him play in an Arsenal shirt.”
For his part, Giroud said it was Wenger’s philosophy and a desire to play in the Premier League that drove him to sign for Arsenal.
“I was attracted by the philosophy of football and Arsene Wenger’s ‘touch’ at this club. I have always admired Arsenal with its great history and reputation, and I now hope to achieve great things here. I’m very proud to be a Gunner and I will give my best for all the Arsenal fans.”
“I am delighted to be here at Arsenal and to be part of one of the great teams in English football. It’s a huge satisfaction to join this great club and it’s been a dream since I was young to play in the Premier League.
We’re all certainly excited both by the signing of Giroud and the club getting things done early in the window.
Yann M’Vila Status
I wanted to do an update to our earlier Yann M’Vila to Arsenal Exclusive. Over the last few weeks, I’ve been checking in and still firmly believe that Yann M’Vila will be an Arsenal player this summer, just not on the timing we announced in May.
First to that – we got it wrong. We first reported it would be after Arsenal’s season finale or the end of Ligue 1. We got it wrong. There we’ve said it twice. Sometimes it happens. Name me one blogger, journalist or news outlet that gets everything correct. Because I’d like to to talk to them about the lottery.
As is always the case with Arsenal nothing is ever as clear cut as it seems.
There are two prevailing thoughts as to what has occurred in the last few weeks:
1. Wenger has lost interest in M’Vila because of his off the field antics. I am not sure I buy into this as the the reported agreement for M’Vila was leaked AFTER his arrest. However, there is the possibility that some of his recent exhibitions of ‘frustration’ as part of the French National team could have made Wenger think twice.
2. Rennes want more money. This seems more likely. I think they expected a bigger market for M’Vila, one of Europe’s more promising youngsters. But early in May Inter (the only other team really linked to him) signed a DM and removed themselves from the sweepstakes. There was a link to Bayern but it seems that was only the agent trying create a market. Bayern came out and said they were looking for a ‘different’ type of player.
Based on what I’ve recently read and what I’ve told I can only deduce that this is a case of Arsenal trying to get the best deal for a player they are the only one’s actively in the market for – right now – and Rennes hoping to get more money for a player that they had hoped more people would come calling for. In the end I believe the deal will get done just not in the time frame we reported back in May.
Arsenal have to be careful though. He is still well regarded in Europe regardless of his antics. Sooner or later someone is going to see the ‘slowness’ of the deal finalizing as an opportunity pull a ‘Mata’ with this deal. Arsenal have already moved quite fast on Podolski and Giroud. If they sign M’Vila early in July it would be significant business for three players combined costing less than Torres and all done before the frantic part of the transfer window.
As we get more news on M’Vila or any other transfer speculation we will update you.
Stay Goonerish!
[donate]
