Arsene Wenger has rubbished reports suggesting Marseille have approached the club for Olivier Giroud and insists the striker will not leave Arsenal this summer.
Giroud has struggled for game time this season after dropping down the pecking order and has been linked with a move away from the Emirates as a result.
Reports had emerged suggesting Marseille would be willing to pay up to £20m for the 30-year-old in the summer but Wenger insists the France international is going no where.
“I have had no approach from Marseille and we want to keep Olivier Giroud at the club,” Sky Sports quote Wenger as saying.
Giroud only signed a new contract extension that runs until 2020 in January and is expected to play a greater part in their final few matches of the season since Wenger changed the team to a 3-4-2-1 formation with Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil playing behind the lone frontman.
The Frenchman has only started eight league games this season, making a further 15 appearances from the bench throughout the course of the campaign.
However, he has still regularly contributed when called upon and is now one goal shy of making it 10+ league goals for the sixth season in succession.
Not only that, but of players that have scored at least five Premier League goals this season only Harry Kane (1 every 100 minutes) requires few minutes per goal than Giroud (1 every 101 minutes).
For more stats on Olivier Giroud, click here to visit his WhoScored player page
