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Praise
Ex-Chelsea striker Tony Cascarino dubs Olivier Giroud one of Premier League’s ‘best foreign imports’ of all time
Olivier Giroud is one of the Premier League’s best-ever foreign imports, according to former Chelsea striker Tony Cascarino.
The Frenchman came off the bench to score an injury-time winner for the Blues in Tuesday's 2-1 victory over Rennes in the Champions League.
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Giroud has struggled for regular playing time, starting just once this season, with boss Frank Lampard opting for Timo Werner and Tammy Abraham.
Subsequently, the 34-year-old, who has scored 135 goals in spells with Chelsea and Arsenal, has been linked with a move away from the Blues in January.
Cascarino, though, wants Giroud to remain in west London.
“He won the league with Montpellier in France, he has had eight years in England and scored over 100 goals for Arsenal,” Cascarino told Wednesday’s Sports Breakfast.
“He’s won three FA Cups, he’s won the World Cup, he’s won the Europa League with Chelsea.
“He’s been a fantastic servant for all the clubs [he’s been at]. He’s been one of the best foreign imports that has come to these shores.
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“I like Olivier Giroud and I think Frank Lampard said it, he trusts him.
“I said it before the game last night, it’s more the relationship with [France boss] Didier Deschamps and Giroud because if Deschamps says to him, ‘you’ve got to be playing, I need you to be playing more minutes, you’re going to have to move’… I think that’s the biggest problem.
“Lampard is totally happy with him. I’d love him to stay at the football club. He’s the second highest goalscorer for France.
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“He’s been an absolutely great asset for club and country. So Frank has told him what he feels and how he needs him.
“He scored a couple goals against Sweden recently. He’s very close to Thierry Henry on the [France] goalscoring record, so there are some big challenges for Olivier.”
Giroud has won an FA Cup and a Europa League trophy since joining Chelsea from London rivals Arsenal in January 2018.
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