Arsenal Transfer News: Olivier Giroud Needs Robin Van Persie to Stay

Arsenal are close to signing Montpellier striker Oliver Giroud, with the North London club rumored to be in the pole position to sign the 25-year-old.

According to Goal.com, Montpellier manager Rene Girard believes the Gunners are the favorites to land Giroud next season, with all but formalities left to discuss between the two clubs, stating that:

"

"Arsenal are very interested and Giroud wants to play in England, if Arsene [Wenger] agrees with the president [Louis Nicollin], he will sign for them..."

"

Giroud netted 21 goals for Montpellier during the Ligue 1 season and was instrumental in their historic league title. He has been strongly linked to the Emirates since the transfer window opened, though no decision on his future will be made until the conclusion of the Euro 2012 tournament, in which Giroud is competing for France.

The signing of Giroud would represent an interesting development in the Gunners' offseason as they desperately try to keep hold of their main man Robin van Persie, as well as bring in new talent to the club.

A new deal with the Dutch striker seems like an eternity away, with no new information set to come forward until after Euro. But with the Gunners already signing Lukas Podolski for next season and now possibly Oliver Giroud, they could be preparing for life without van Persie at the club.

But the simple truth is that Giroud cannot replace van Persie.

In fact, nobody can.

The 30-goal hero for the Gunners last season is one of the greatest strikers in world football and must be treated that way. He cannot be replaced by a late-blooming French striker or the experience and skill of Lukas Podolski.

Both Podolski and Giroud, should the transfer go through, must be used with van Persie in attack and must not be seen as a replacement for the striker. Arsenal were in desperate need of another go-to guy last season and with Podolski and Giroud alongside van Persie, they would finally have their answer.

However, should van Persie leave the Emirates, they would take several steps backward and both Podolski and Giroud would be under enormous pressure to perform.

Both Park Chu-Yung and Marouane Chamakh flopped for Arsenal last season, and their respective careers at the club appear to be hanging in the balance. Chamakh has even be touted as a prospective 'sweetener' in the Giroud deal—on loan or a permanent signing for Montpellier.

Neither will give the Gunners the depth required to win the Premier League which was why Podolski and now Giroud have been targeted by the club—despite their original intent not to spend a great deal of money in the summer transfer window.

They desperately needed someone to work with Robin van Persie during the season, and it seems they have finally found their solution in Podolski, but more importantly Giroud. If the Gunners can retain van Persie for next season, Arsenal could well have the most dynamic attack in the league and must be considered a genuine premiership threat once more.

If they can't keep van Persie, the expectations on Giroud and Podolski must be lowered for neither is going to deliver the same potency and sheer goal tally that van Persie did; neither will be able to carry the Gunners like van Persie did.

That's why Arsenal need the Dutchman. 

Their season—as well as the careers of Podolski and Giroud—depends on it.

Comment below or hit me up on Twitter:  Follow @dantalintyre