La Liga giants earmark Chelsea veteran star as surprise January target

Chelsea star Olivier Giroud among those touted to replace Luka Jovic at Real Madrid

According to AS, Chelsea star Olivier Giroud is among the names Real Madrid could look at to strengthen their attack.

The La Liga giants are struggling for goals and are overdependent on Karim Benzema. The Frenchman is the club’s top scorer with 12 strikes this season, three times that of second-placed Casemiro and Luke Modric.(h/t BBC)

With Luke Jovic returning to Eintracht Frankfurt on loan, Zinedine Zidane has only Benzema and Mariano as recognised strikers. Bringing in a new striker would certainly reduce the burden on Benzema.

Chelsea star Olivier Giroud is among the names Real Madrid could look at to strengthen their attack.
Olivier Giroud is a dependable striker for Chelsea

At 34, Giroud is still racking up goals when called upon. Despite limited opportunities, he has been Chelsea’s most effective striker this season. (h/t BBC)

The Frenchman’s contract at Stamford Bridge expires in the summer and is expected to leave for a free. While there is some talk about an option to extend the deal by a year, whether it will be activated remains to be seen.

With Tammy Abraham now rediscovering his touch, Frank Lampard could be tempted to do business in January. While keeping the striker will be in our best interests, selling him now will ensure we get some sort of fee for parting with his services.

Real Madrid are overtly dependent on Karim Benzema
Real Madrid are overtly dependent on Karim Benzema

Having joined the club in 2018, Giroud has proven himself to be an excellent striker. A dependable option, he has often risen to the occasion when needed.

Giroud is not the only striker on Real’s radar. Others in the fray include Manchester City ace Sergio Aguero and Napoli outcast Arkadiusz Milik.

Timo Werner joined from RB Leipzig
Timo Werner has struggled to make an impact on the left wing

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Chelsea would be better served by keeping Giroud until the end of his season, even if it means losing him for free in the summer.

Timo Werner has largely failed to find the net while Abraham still has to polish his game. Losing Giroud at this point could leave us lacking tooth in the final third.