January Transfer Window: Atletico Madrid Identify Chelsea’s Olivier Giroud As Diego Costa Replacement

Atletico Madrid Identify Chelsea’s Olivier Giroud As Diego Costa Replacement: The Spanish club is set to make contact with Giroud in the coming days

Having abruptly lost Diego Costa after he blatantly made it clear that he wanted out of his contract, Atletico Madrid are now turning their attentions to filling in the departed striker’s shoes.

Atletico Madrid Identify Chelsea’s Olivier Giroud As Diego Costa Replacement

Allowing Costa to leave six months prior to the curtailment of his deal at the club, Atletico Madrid have now nailed in on Chelsea’s Olivier Giroud as the first name to compensate for Costa. As per Rai Sport, the French striker is spearheading the list of names the club want to rope in this January transfer window.

However, prizing away Giroud from the Premier League club won’t be a straightforward task for Atletico Madrid. Initially left in the cold by Lampard this season, Olivier Giroud’s assiduous hard work and diligent professionalism has seen him once again emerge as the focal point of the club’s attacking setup.

With Timo Werner regressing in form and Olivier Giroud persistently coming up with the wares for Chelsea, the London based club is eager to extend Giroud’s deal at the club. The striker currently has a contract till the summer of 2021 at the club after Chelsea had decided last season to extend his deal by a year.

Giroud who has scored 37 times for Chelsea since joining from Arsenal has fast made a name for himself in the club’s folklore. Despite being time and time again shunned by Lampard, he’s cantered his way back into the side’s setup with the player last scoring during the club’s 1-1 draw.

While his recent electric form has been him indisputable for Lampard, Giroud is bound to be all ears to Atletico Madrid’s contact. The striker had previously voiced his concern about a lack of playing minutes at Chelsea with him saying he would reconsider his position at the club come January.

Meanwhile, both Arsenal and Wolverhampton have been linked to Diego Costa with both the club eager to get their hands around the Spanish striker who is currently a free agent.

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