Montpellier confirm Giroud exit

Montpellier president Louis Nicollin has confirmed that Olivier Giroud is leaving the club amid rumours the forward is close to joining Arsenal.

The Ligue 1 champions have already agreed a fee with the north London outfit for the France international and Gunners boss Arsene Wenger said last week that the deal was ’90 percent done’.

While Nicollin refused to disclose any details regarding the proposed transfer, he did admit that the player would be departing the Stade de la Mosson.

“I wish him well because he’s a good kid,” the Montpellier supremo told French newspaper Midi Libre.

Meanwhile, Nicollin’s son Laurent, who is the club’s deputy chairman, all but admitted that Giroud’s transfer to Arsenal was effectively a done deal.

“The negotiations have gone very well,” he told RMC Sport. “We have been in agreement for some days now.”

Giroud hit 21 goals during his club’s title-winning campaign and he has been linked with various clubs around Europe in recent months, including Bayern Munich.

However, Arsenal have met the striker’s release clause, which is believed to be 15 million euros, and the 25-year-old has agreed to a deal with the Gunners which will treble his current wage.

Giroud will be the English side’s second high-profile signing of the summer, with Germany international Lukas Podolski already having been acquired from Cologne.