Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger hails Olivier Giroud's 'great service' as striker nears Chelsea transfer

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James Benge31 January 2018

Arsene Wenger paid tribute to Olivier Giroud’s professionalism after the Arsenal striker featured for the Gunners hours before he is expected to move to Chelsea.

The French striker is set to make the switch across London on Wednesday in a deal understood to be worth £18million, freeing Michy Batshuayi to move to Borussia Dortmund on loan and Arsenal to bring in Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from the Bundesliga.

Despite his imminent transfer Giroud travelled with the Arsenal squad to Swansea, where he was both named on the bench and eventually brought on as Wenger desperately tried to turn around a game that would end in a 3-1 defeat for the Gunners on what is highly likely to be the French international’s 253rd and final appearance for the club.

“It's a tribute to Olivier,” Wenger said of the 31-year-old’s participation in the game.

“He's given great service to the club, never let us down on the performance front and saved us many times.”

Wenger had been reluctant to lose Giroud but the striker’s hopes of making France’s World Cup squad depend on first-team football.

He would have struggled to get that at Arsenal, where Aubameyang’s arrival would have relegated him to third-choice striker, but at Chelsea will contend with Alvaro Morata for a starting spot.

Whilst his transfer has allowed Dortmund to get the Aubameyang replacement they needed to sanction the Gabon striker’s move to the Emirates it also means Arsenal, for the second time this window after letting Alexis Sanchez join Manchester United, have strengthened a direct rival.

With that in mind Wenger was reluctant to be drawn into discussions over Giroud’s next club, saying: “At the moment I don’t want to talk much about where he goes, if he goes, because that will be definitely decided.

“Nothing is concluded at the moment.”

Wenger was similarly hesitant to discuss Aubameyang’s move, though the 28-year-old has already visited Arsenal’s training ground to put the finishing touches on a move.

“Deals nowadays are so complicated. As long as you are not finished, to be confident doesn’t help too much.”

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