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We’ve been in the usual transfer rumor cycle for the better part of the last week. We know the names. We know the respective situations. And we know that nothing really has happened other than Gonzalo Higuain being just an official announcement away from no longer being a Juventus player.
And then the report from Sky Sport Italia’s Gianluca Di Marzio of Juventus agreeing to personal terms with Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud popped up Thursday night. It was a little out of left field, regardless of the fact that Giroud has been linked with a move to Serie A during the last few transfer windows.
It was also a little surprising Giroud himself. Why do I say that? Because there’s nothing to it, according to Giroud, who cleared things up during an interview with Telefoot on Friday.
“I was surprised when I received messages from friends talking about the Juventus rumour,” Giroud told Telefoot, as reported by Get French Football News.
“It is a long way off the truth. I am a Chelsea player and I feel good here. I didn’t have a great end to last season just to leave again without showing a bit of faith.”
(Source: Football Italia)
So I guess we can cross this new name off the striker list.
That leaves us with potential No. 9 candidates:
- Luis Suarez
- Edin Dzeko
- Moise Kean
- Alvaro Morata
Olivier Giroud
The talk around Giroud fit the kind of profile that Juventus is going after when it comes to bringing in a new No. 9 this summer outside of Kean and potentially Morata — short-term stopgap that will hopefully bridge the gap between these tough economic times and the influx of cash the club will get when fans are able to fill stadiums again.
Di Marzio’s report included the fact that Giroud would have earned €4.5 million a season in his two-year contract. Obviously, based on what Giroud himself has told us, the fact that he’s agreed to personal terms seems like something that hasn’t exactly happened yet.