Lyon President Talks Olivier Giroud Interest Amid Chelsea Exit Rumours

Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas has revealed he would be interested in signing Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud in the summer.

The French striker has said his Stamford Bridge future is in doubt after Gonzalo Higuain's loan switch to west London:

The 2018 FIFA World Cup winner has turned down a January switch to Chinese Super League club Dalian Yifang, who were offering to pay him £9 million per year, per L'Equipe (h/t Neil McLeman of the Mirror).

A return to Ligue 1 could be on the cards after Aulas revealed he has long been interested in the former Arsenal forward, per Le Figaro on Tuesday(h/t Goal's Robert O'Connor):

"I dreamed of bringing him in last summer and I even called Arsene Wenger to get his opinion, someone like Gerard Houllier knows him well too. We had discussions when I was in Moscow with the French national team during the World Cup. Things were not possible, on his side. Today we have an attack that is well stocked. If someone in the front left, then a deal could interest us, especially because he has a different profile compared to our players.

"This summer, of course Giroud will interest me. It seems a little tight for this winter. We do not want to overload with attackers, especially as we have a real team. Aside from that, we will have to see what manager we have at that moment of the season, but I like this boy. He is a good guy."

Giroud, a 2011-12 Ligue 1 title-winner with Montpellier, joined Chelsea from the Gunners a year ago in a deal worth £18 million.

The 32-year-old has never nailed down a first-team spot in the side and has started only six Premier League games in 2018-19.

Manager Maurizio Sarri has has shown little faith in him, opting to start Eden Hazard regularly in a false nine position ahead of both Giroud and Alvaro Morata.

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Morata has now joined Atletico Madrid on loan, and Higuain has clearly been brought in to be the first-choice No. 9.

Barring an injury to the Argentinian, Giroud can hope for little more in the second half of the campaign than occasional appearances from the bench in the league and starts in cup competitions.

It seems quite clear that, under Sarri, Giroud will never be a key part of the Chelsea first team.

His contract in west London expires in June, and it seems likely he will move on.

If Giroud does seal a move to Lyon, it will mark the end of a seven-year spell for him in the Premier League.