Arsenal Transfer News: Olivier Giroud a Step in Right Direction for Gunners

The moment Arsenal fans have been waiting for has arrived.

No, not Robin van Persie's declaration that he will stay at Emirates. The signing of Montpellier striker Olivier Giroud, of course.

According to ESPN, Arsenal confirmed the signing of the impressive 25-year-old on Tuesday, continuing what has already been a promising offseason.

Giroud, who led Montpellier to its first Ligue 1 title in club history, scored a league-leading 21 goals in the 2011-2012 campaign, drawing interest from several of Europe's top clubs. He has no doubt earned the right to play in the Premier League.

Giroud's signing follows the acquisition of Germany's Lukas Podolski and forms a strong attacking combo. And if the signings are enough to convince Van Persie to say, it will mark tremendous managing by Arsenal this offseason.

Podolski, of course, scored 18 goals in the Bundesliga this past season. He was the first big transfer to come to Emirates this summer. The combination of him and Giroud, potentially combined with Van Persie, would lift the Gunners to becoming legitimate league contenders next season.

There are still questions about the defense, and it certainly won't be easy, even with Van Persie, but Arsenal is certainly gunning for the clouds. If RVP questioned the club's commitment before this, he likely doesn't now.

Whether Van Persie stays with Arsenal is still up in the air, but Arsenal fans should be proud of the club for doing what it has so far. And with French midfielder Yann M'Vila another option, this could be a huge summer for the Gunners.