After being limited to only a few substitute appearances during the first half of the season, Olivier Giroud has taken his game to another level proving that he deserves a place in Arsenal’s starting 11. These good performances have made Wenger realize the importance of the French Forward who has extended his contract with the Gunners until 2020 along with compatriot Laurent Koscielny.
With Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez’s contract impasses hoovering up column inches and casting a small but ominously grey cloud over Arsenal’s progress through the season, it is easy to forget that a player who has been more decisive than either of Arsenal’s two brightest stars in recent weeks also has just 18 months left on his contract. A man, who is moving steadily towards a century of goals for the club without garnering anything like the status or respect that achievement usually commands.
After Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger revealed earlier last week that he has plans to offer Santi Cazorla and Per Mertesacker a new one year contract, he has now given a triple boost to the Gunners. Besides Giroud and Koscielny, Coquelin has extended his contract as well. The midfielder will be at the Emirates until 2021.
Giroud was quoted stating, “We are about to reach an agreement for an extension [to my contract]. It was also a gesture of confidence; I want to continue the adventure here in this family of Arsenal. I feel good here. When I spoke to the coach, he always told me that I was an important player. I know what I am capable of. I just needed to be patient, to work in training and wait for my hour to come”.
He has managed to score 6 league goals and provide 4 assists so far this season, and Giroud currently earns £100,000-a-week even from the bench.
Elsewhere, the Gunners have reportedly made contact over a move for Lucas Moura as they plan for life after Alexis Sanchez. Sanchez has been stalling on a new deal at the Emirates with just 18 months to go on his current contract. And despite being Arsenal’s best player this season, the fans fear he is going to leave in the summer when other elite clubs will look at cut price bids for the Chile forward.
Sanchez is demanding close to £300,000-a-week to stay put at Arsenal and has grown frustrated with Arsenal’s title hopes in recent weeks. He was seen distraught following the 3-3 draw with Bournemouth and reportedly blanked his team-mates in the dressing room, even though he had made comments about being “happy” at Arsenal in the past few weeks.
Recent reports have claimed that the Gunners have been in contact with Paris Saint-Germain ace Moura over a potential deal to fill the gap Sanchez could leave.
Moura is in his fifth season with the French champions having joined in a £38million deal from Sao Paulo in 2012. In Ligue 1, Moura has scored six goals and registered two assists in 19 appearances so far this term. He currently earns around $100,000 per week at PSG.
The 24-year-old, whose current contract expires in 2019, was PSG’s star man in the 2-2 draw against Arsenal in the Champion’s League group stage in November. But with Julian Draxler’s arrival, this month first team chances may be limited for the second half of the season. However, is the Brazilian a decent replacement for Sanchez? Only time can tell if the deal goes through.