Olivier Giroud reveals Eden Hazard is the best player he has ever played with and admits lure of Ligue 1 return

The Chelsea striker will be out of contract this summer with Lyon and Marseille potential options

Monday 28 January 2019 13:16

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Chelsea v Spurs: Jack Pitt-Brooke and Miguel Delaney give their take after Blues progress to League Cup final

Olivier Giroud has heaped praise on Eden Hazard by claiming his Chelsea team-mate is the best he has ever played with.

The French forward, who has scored five and assisted five more in all competitions this season, will be a free agent this summer.

And the 32-year-old has admitted the arrival of Gonzalo Higuain, in addition to Maurizio Sarri deploying Hazard as a false No 9, could push him to return to play in Ligue 1 next season.

“The coach makes Hazard play nine which is detrimental to strikers,” said the Frenchman to Canal +. “But he is the best player I’ve ever played with.

“If the club decides to get another striker, like Higuain, it will certainly darken my future at Chelsea.

Ten players who need to move clubs this January

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1/12Ten players who need to move clubs this January

Despite the 2019 January transfer window being just a few days old, some clubs have already made their move, most noticeably at Chelsea who have agreed to bring in Borussia Dortmund’s Christian Pulisic in the summer. However, while some are highly coveted, others are in need of change of landscape and increased playing time, with a busy window expected yet again for Premier League clubs. With that in mind, here are 10 players who could really benefit from a move away from their current clubs in a bid to revive their season.

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The Chelsea forward has endured a torrid time with the FA Cup holders this season, bagging just seven goals in 23 appearances in all competitions. The Spaniard has looked ineffective in Maurizio Sarri’s system in a poor run of form which began last season and saw him left out of Spain’s World Cup squad. A switch to Juventus involving Gonzalo Higuain going the other way has been touted, but complications could arise with the Argentine currently on loan at AC Milan.

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The right-back has become a forgotten man at Manchester United, having seen just 360 minutes of competitive action this season. The 29-year-old, who featured only 17 times for the Red Devils last season, made no secret of his desire to leave Old Trafford in the summer, with Juventus having shown a strong interest in him during the last two transfer windows. However, with the Turin club having signed Joao Cancelo in the summer, the Italian will likely have to look for another escape route.

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The Spaniard has been sparingly used by Mauricio Pochettino from the bench, and therefore a change of club may benefit the 33-year-old as he comes into the twilight of his career. The former Swansea City and Juventus striker has managed just one goal this season in a 3-1 League Cup win over West Ham United. That strike was one of just six he has notched up during his 18 months in North London, and that figure could see him eye up a return to Spain, with Valencia and Athletic Bilbao reportedly interested.

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The former Leicester City midfielder is in desperate need of a change of scenery after playing just 30 minutes under Maurizio Sarri, which came in the Community Shield back in August. The 28-year-old made just 22 appearances last season with Antonio Conte at the helm, but has been completely put out of the picture by the former Napoli boss. Drinkwater could seek an exit to Fulham and a reunion with Claudio Ranieri, who is still searching for a clever passer in his midfield following Jean Michael Seri’s indifferent start to life in west London and Kevin McDonald’s struggles in adapting to the pace of the Premier League.

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The Frenchman supposedly started with a clean slate when Marco Silva took over at Everton last May, and that was confirmed when he started four of the Toffees’ first five games of the league season. However, similar to what he faced at Old Trafford under Jose Mourinho, the 29-year-old has been frozen out of the picture, having not featured in the Premier League since September against West Ham. The midfielder has also had issues with teammates and booing supporters during his time on Merseyside, and this window represents the perfect opportunity for Schneiderlin to end his nightmare.

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Wilson has undoubtedly emerged as Bournemouth star player this season, scoring 11 goals for his club already this season in a run which also saw him mark his England debut in November with a goal against the United States. Despite the 26-year-old forward’s impressive tally, Bournemouth lie in the bottom half of the table and the opportunity to join a Chelsea side crying out for a centre forward may be too good to turn down.

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Moreno arrived at Liverpool in 2014 with an ever-growing reputation, but the Spaniard has never recovered from the shaky start he made to life at Anfield despite his popularity among his teammates. The left-back is out of contract in the summer, and with no plans to extend his contract after making comments appearing to criticise Jurgen Klopp, Moreno could seek a move back to Sevilla, while Ligue 1 side Marseille are also said to be among potential suitors.

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The 20-year-old has fallen out of a favour at West Ham under Manuel Pellegrini, and he has not featured for the senior side for 12 months now. The defender made his Hammers debut aged 16 in a 2-0 win at Arsenal but spent last season on loan at Borussia Monchengladbach. The German club are consequently said to have made overtures to bring the defender back to the club on a permanent basis, while Arsenal have also been credited with an interest of recruiting him in the summer.

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The Arsenal right-back’s competitive action has been limited to the Europa League group games and the early rounds of the EFL Cup. The 26-year-old has spent time on loan at West Ham United and Birmingham City in recent seasons which both proved to be largely unsuccessful due to both injuries and form. Unai Emery’s preference of putting central midfielder Ainsley Maitland-Niles at right-back during Arsenal’s recent defensive crisis is just the latest in a sequence of decisions which have ensured the writing has long been on the wall for Jenkinson.

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The converted forward has been a considerable factor in keeping Cardiff City’s hopes of avoiding relegation alive with his four league goals this season. The 24-year-old has spent the majority of his career as a full-back and midfielder, but has been made to lead the Bluebirds’ line to solve their striking crisis. While he may not prove to be the most effective lone forward, there could be a role for the Scot as a supporting striker for a club looking to push into the top half of the table.

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The Barcelona midfielder has played just 17 minutes in La Liga this season and seems to no longer represent the club’s future. Arthur and Ivan Rakitic have largely been the duo utilised by Ernesto Valverde, with the likes of Arturo Vidal and Rafinha also having struggled for game time at various points this campaign. Chelsea and Arsenal are both said to have an interest in 24-year-old Suarez, who has completed 90 minutes just twice this season in the Catalan giants’ two-legged Copa del Rey tie with Cultural Leonesa.

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“I’ve never said no to a return to France. Lyon and Marseille are two great clubs. My priority is to stay in the Premier League though.”

Giroud admitted the criticism for failing to score at the 2018 World Cup has got to him, but his overall standing in French football history leaves him satisfied.

Olivier Giroud’s contract with Chelsea expires this summer

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“I will never make people unanimously satisfied with me,” Giroud added.

“There is a little part of regret and frustration. The public expects a goalscorer to score goals.

Giroud claims Eden Hazard is the best player he has ever played with

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“I’m the fourth best goalscorer of French football and nobody can take that away from me.”

Giroud came off the bench to replace Higuain in the FA Cup win over Sheffield Wednesday on Sunday, and will hope to remain involved in the cup competitions as the Blues battle on four fronts.

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