Chelsea transfers: Striker agrees to move away from Stamford Bridge

Chelsea has been relatively inactive on the transfer front thus far this summer, absent a few rumors here and there. Blues supporters have turned to outgoing transfers for entertainment this window for that exact reason. Fikayo Tomori and Victor Moses’ departures have earned the club some cash as they represent some of the earliest exits in a surely busy summer. After moving for the former, AC Milan turned its attention to a trio of other Chelsea players.

Olivier Giroud is now expected to join Tomori in The Fashion Capital of the World as the Rossoneri have finally agreed to a deal with the Blues regarding the striker’s transfer. The Frenchman had a one-year extension triggered by Chelsea earlier this summer, which seemed to many like a sign he was staying at Stamford Bridge. In the end, it was a business decision made by Marina Granovskaia and Co. that netted the Blues an additional €2 million. It’s not a hefty fee, but it’s €2 million that the club did not have before Thursday evening.

Chelsea and AC Milan have agreed to the transfer of striker Olivier Giroud.

The deal—expected to be completed in the coming days—marks the end of an impactful stint in SW6 for the striker. Giroud won the Champions League, Europa League and FA Cup during his three-and-a-half seasons with Chelsea. He played a pivotal role in the team for four managers and scored in some very important moments. It’s only fitting that the cult hero bows out with his final goal being the bicycle kick he scored in the 1-0 win over Atletico Madrid in the UCL Round of 16. In total, the forward netted 39 goals and added 14 assists during his 119 appearances with the Blues.

Giroud’s departure leaves a giant hole at Chelsea’s striker position. The only tried and true No. 9 the Blues now have is Tammy Abraham, who seldom played under Thomas Tuchel. The English forward has also been linked to a move away from the club. The only promising development of these rumors thus far is they’ve been few and far between. Kai Havertz and Timo Werner can play as strikers, but the consensus is they are better in other areas. Regardless of how Chelsea fans feel about the future of the position and Abraham in general, this is a relief considering the hole Giroud now leaves. Reliable Premier League tested strikers are hard to come by these days, so simply replacing the Frenchman is a tall order.

The 34-year-old was not only a proven goalscorer in England’s top flight though. He was a mature presence in the Chelsea dressing room, someone willing to put the success of the team above all else. He helped develop Abraham’s hold-up play and worked with countless other attackers on advancing their skills. Giroud’s exit is Chelsea’s loss, but both the player and his new club will benefit from his move. Zlatan Ibrahimovic has shown that aging strikers can still succeed in Serie A, so hopefully Giroud’s career can be extended by a few seasons.

Milan will now turn its attention to trying to pry Tiemoue Bakayoko and Hakim Ziyech from Chelsea. The former will be an easier transfer to complete with the latter just making the switch from Ajax last season. Meanwhile, Granovskaia will look to reinforce the Blues’ attacking strength on the market. Romelu Lukaku and Erling Haaland are the two names constantly linked to the reigning European Champions, although each will be tough moves to pull off. If Chelsea is unable to bring in a new No. 9, Giroud’s departure will leave a hole in Thomas Tuchel’s attack as his side competes on multiple fronts next season.

What do you think Giroud’s move means for Chelsea? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!