Last week it was confirmed by Chelsea that they had triggered the right to extend the contract of striker Olivier Giroud by one year.
The news came as a bit of a surprise for a player who had seemed absolutely destined to be leaving the club back in January.
Although he ended up staying because Chelsea could not get a replacement, many still expected him to be on his way out the club next month when his original contract runs out.
But Chelsea used their option to extend, and the France international stays another year.
This is largely as a safety measure for the club, with the uncertainties created by the COVID-19 pandemic. Chelsea still have a season to finish that will now be going on beyond June, Giroud’s original contract expiration date.
Chelsea insider Liam Twomey of The Athletic also believes that Giroud signing a new contract, does not necessarily mean that he stays at the club for another year.
Twomey said:
“What the one-year extensions do is give everyone involved a bit of security. I wouldn’t rule out the possibility of Giroud still leaving if Chelsea decide to invest heavily in new attacking options in the next transfer window but he’s a capable safety net if they don’t.”
Giroud expressed his desire to play more regularly this season, and I cannot see that situation changing, so he is still likely to ask for a move away.
