Olivier Giroud signs for Arsenal from Montpellier

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Olivier Giroud

Arsenal have finalised the signing of Olivier Giroud from Montpellier for a reported £12m.

The France international, 25, completed a medical and paperwork with the club on Monday evening.

Gunners manager Arsene Wenger intends to utilise Giroud in a front three alongside fellow new signing Lukas Podolski and Robin van Persie.

"He has a very good physical presence and is exceptional in the air, with a great work ethic," said Wenger.

"We are excited about Olivier joining us and he will add an additional dimension to our attacking options next season.

"He has proved that he is capable of performing at the top level with club and country, and we saw what a big influence he was in Montpellier's championship-winning side last season."

Giroud scored 21 goals in Montpellier's Ligue 1 title success and made four substitute appearances for France at Euro 2012.

"I was attracted by the philosophy of football and Arsene Wenger's 'touch' at this club," Giroud told the official Arsenal website.external-link "I have always admired Arsenal with its great history and reputation, and I now hope to achieve great things here."

At 6ft 3ins, Giroud believes he has the physique to thrive in the Premier League.

"I think I have the weapons to do well here," he said. "It might be a style that I'm good at, though I'm also a player who likes to play, who likes to participate in the game.

"I will need some time to adapt, of course, but I'm not worried about that - I think I will adapt well."

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209 comments

  • Comment posted by AntonMHSC, at 13:59 26 Jun 2012

    Dear God, some of you Arsenal fans make me sick. I tell you what, before passing judgement/comment on the mighty Giroud, why don't you find out about French football a little bit more, eh? He has been immense for us in his 2 season at La Mosson and helped us to an amazing title win last season. Anyone calling him a Bendtner/Chamakh, Holt/Heskey is a moron, simple as. Gutted he's left, gutted.

  • Comment posted by U15051428, at 20:56 26 Jun 2012

    Man Utd fan here. I have to say, having seen the likes of Clichy, Nasri, Toure and Fabregas abandon the man and club that made them world class players, I'm very glad to see Arsenal rising up again and re-asserting their status as a top player in world football. A fantastic signing that all Arsenal fans can be happy with. Congrats!

  • Comment posted by danoq, at 13:09 26 Jun 2012

    slightly irritated with some of the comments about solving our leaky midfield and that a striker is not a priority when all that was said last year was that we relied too heavily on RVP and that if he didnt stay fit we couldn't compete and score goals. Wenger has now addressed that area and will move on to the midfield/defence. There is plenty of time left in this transfer window.

  • Comment posted by McDoogan83, at 19:55 26 Jun 2012

    Wow, Arsenal have signed a Frenchman.

    Who'd have thought it.

  • Comment posted by sartre, at 13:25 26 Jun 2012

    Montpellier supporter here. We'd love to have kept Giroud for our CL campaign but I'm happy that, of all English clubs, he signed for Arsenal. Hope he does for you what he's done for us.

  • Comment posted by sartre, at 19:07 26 Jun 2012

    Here you go... 25 goals and 11 assists in 2011-12 season:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ob8xTYXmMko&feature=related

    Enjoy!

  • Comment posted by U15321273, at 17:53 26 Jun 2012

    plus we've got Walcott, AOC, Wilshere and Gibbs ... they're English right? some of the brightest young talent England can be proud of

  • Comment posted by RedalwaysRed, at 11:48 26 Jun 2012

    Good business from the gooners
    Podolski & Giroud IN... BEFORE even thinking of letting RVP leave!
    And at a cost of around £22m.
    If I was a gooner I wouldn't be too worried about RVP leaving now...infact should a £30m bid come in for him ...it'll be wise for wenger to say thanks Robin and goodbye!

  • Comment posted by U15321346, at 20:06 26 Jun 2012

    @Iliketherain. Why will I be jealous of the EPL while I support one of its top teams? I think you missed the point. I love the EPL first because it values diversity. It gives talented players of any background chance to shine. My problem is with Anti foreigners. Foreign players have lifted the EPL very high, Didier Drogba gifted Chelsea a Champions league trophy last month. Cantona is big there...

  • Comment posted by U14355777, at 14:10 26 Jun 2012

    @yorkshire kippy, You are quite right, Bet next season the talented English players in the Arsenal squad are bit part/fringe players. If the FA insisted on 3/4/5/6 English players in every premier team it would make a huge difference and I would fancy Arsenals chances with the young talent they have..But until that happens we will continue to import and develop talent for everyone else SIGH....

  • Comment posted by Smurfyboi, at 13:26 26 Jun 2012

    Totally agree with ForrestFratton's comments re: the effect on the English national side of foreign imports. How many foreigners played in Britain between 1966 and 1992 when the Premiership came into being? Barely a handful. How many major tournaments did England win in that time? None.

  • Comment posted by U6631847, at 11:48 26 Jun 2012

    Do people not realise that the defensive frailties last season, particularly in the later half, were as a direct result of losing our first and second choice wingbacks for large chunks of the season on top of losing Clichy. Had we had a first team line up of Sagna, Koscielny, Vermaelen and Gibbs for more games perhaps the poor run that we had could have been avoided. Song needs cover though.

  • Comment posted by U15305966, at 11:28 26 Jun 2012

    And this will tighten a defence that conceded 49 goals in the league last season how exactly? Until Wenger 'The Genius' solves that little problem, we can forget about challenging, let alone winning, the Premiership. I'm not holding my breath. I expect to be saying exactly the same thing next year.

  • Comment posted by U6983756, at 10:37 27 Jun 2012

    @183.thelawmap

    Not this old lie again. If foreign playrs had a detrimental affect on the Eng side it would be shown by the fact that Eng were good b4 the foreign influx & rubbish after, when the facts r we r at least as bad, arguably better. Look at Englands record in the 70s then tell me we used 2b so much better. Coachin & attitude r 2 blame not gifted players showin us how it should b done.

  • Comment posted by thealmightywalrus, at 08:32 27 Jun 2012

    Best strike force in the Prem?!?! I think so.

  • Comment posted by U15291873, at 06:25 27 Jun 2012

    I think this is a good signing. An attack of Giroud, RvP and Podolski is great, like Napoli's. Then a midfield of Wilshere, Song, Arteta. Hopefully M'vila to replace Arteta or Wilshere. Then we could have a defence of Vermaelan, Koscielny, Gibbs, Sagna.

    13. Szczesny
    3. Sagna
    5. Vermaelan
    6. Koscielny
    ?. Gibbs
    19. Wilshere
    8. Arteta
    17. Song
    10. RvP
    ??. Podolski
    ??. Giroud

  • Comment posted by U14392949, at 23:18 26 Jun 2012

    Football is a business folks, and arsenal is the only EPL club actually making tangible money. Brand new stadium almost already paid for, new commercial deals from next year, booming foreign middle-class fanbase, minimal debt. No other EPL club has that long-term sustainability. The gunners are at least 20 years ahead of everyone else. Good luck to all the glory hunters.

  • Comment posted by U15321346, at 20:41 26 Jun 2012

    @G10Lou, you are the man. You made my day. Many will change teams every year because for them supporting one club for life means nothing. We have to support our respective clubs wholeheartedly and at the same time we also have to appreciate what other clubs are doing to make the game enjoyable. A one team league does not and will never exist, sorry Scotland is maybe heading to that.

  • Comment posted by U15321346, at 20:17 26 Jun 2012

    @Yiddo2205, RVP has been with Arsenal for 7 or 8 years. So your comment doesn't add anything because he was prepared by Arsenal to do what he did. Give credit to Arsenal for being so patient on him, unless you don't know how he struggled with injuries the past seasons. He is an Arsenal player, he is not there on loan, so doing a good job was his duty and not a favor just like Aguero for Man City.

  • Comment posted by U15321467, at 20:15 26 Jun 2012

    As far I am concerned Arsene is out there trying to get the resources needed to compete for next year. Arsenal haters please stay where you belong and stop being monologue interactive. infact stretching from team to another its not recommended for testicles. ARSENAL FOREVER

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