Olivier Giroud, at 38 years old, made a surprising return to France this summer. Just a year after departing Europe, seemingly to conclude his illustrious career at LAFC, he signed with Lille OSC on a free transfer. However, as he has now revealed in an interview, he also had the option of joining another French club before committing to Lille.
Giroud disclosed that this summer he held discussions about joining FC Lorient, who had recently secured promotion back to Ligue 1 from Ligue 2. This potential move would have reunited him with Laurent Koscielny, currently the sporting director of Les Merlus. The two players shared a significant history, having played together not only at Arsenal but also at Tours FC and for the French national team.
“He approached me,” Giroud stated in the interview. “I was honest with him. I told him that there was a strong chance my time at LAFC might conclude this summer because it no longer felt right to stay when I wasn`t happy. So he then seized the opportunity. `Lolo` (Koscielny) and I are very close,” he elaborated.
He added that Koscielny presented him with a “modest project at Lorient,” which involved two wingers and young talents surrounding France`s all-time leading scorer. However, the prospect of moving to Brittany quickly diminished when LOSC entered the negotiation, offering a different proposition.
“When Lille came calling, I had to tell him, `Look, these are two distinct projects. You`re a newly promoted team aiming for survival, whereas Lille offers a different proposition – they`re competing in Europe and at the top of Ligue 1.` Koscielny understood,” Giroud explained, acknowledging the difference in ambition.
Consequently, the reunion between the two former teammates, who had shared the pitch on a remarkable 256 occasions during their playing careers, did not materialize, with Giroud ultimately opting for Lille`s European aspirations.
