I am going to stay at Chelsea and fight, insists Giroud

Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud is determined to win a place in Maurizio Sarri’s starting line-up despite finding himself behind Alvaro Morata in the Stamford Bridge pecking order.

Giroud was an unused substitute as the Blues were held to a goalless draw by Everton in their last Premier League fixture, despite having scored in their 1-0 Europa League win at BATE in the previous game.

The World Cup-winning forward played 65 minutes of France’s 2-0 Nations League defeat to the Netherlands before being replaced by Ousmane Dembele, but he claimed a domestic transfer to ensure his international future was not on the agenda.

“I came back late from the World Cup and Morata played,” Giroud told Telefoot.

“With the national team in September, a goal against the Netherlands did me good. After that, when I came back to Chelsea, I played several matches as a starter.

“Today, the coach has introduced healthy competition. Morata started again, he played well.

“It is true that we were having issues in the effectiveness department, he scored and things are going better.”

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— Olivier Giroud (@_OlivierGiroud_) October 7, 2018

Giroud has started just four of Chelsea’s 12 league games so far this season and has yet to score in his nine appearances.

He said the speculation over his future brought back memories from the end of the 2017-18 season, when he was tipped to leave Stamford Bridge.

“Would I have to consider a departure to keep my place in the national team? I feel like it is as if we are where we were several months ago when I was being asked the same questions before the World Cup,” said Giroud.

“Today I am calm, happy with this World Cup title. I don’t need to put myself under more pressure than that.

“Of course, I am a competitor and I would like more playing time. But I am in a very big club, with very big players.

“I am going to fight and for the moment, it is not a question about seeking a departure.

“I am going to stick in there and do not expect me to give up.”