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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport

Olivier Giroud dismisses talk of Chelsea exit and commits to fight for starting place

Olivier Giroud has reiterated his desire to stay and fight for a place at Chelsea as he vies with Alvaro Morata for a starting spot under Maurizio Sarri.

The French international has just the one goal at domestic level so far this season, and one for the national side scored back in September.

Both he and Morata have struggled for goals of late, though the latter has picked things up a little in recent weeks.

While keen on more playing time, Giroud batted away any suggestion of leaving in January.

“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,” he said to Telefoot.

“Today, I am calm, happy with this World Cup title. I relativise a lot of things.

“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.”

Giroud continued: “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 count on me to give up.

“I came back late from the World Cup [so] Morata played.

“In the national team in September, with this goal against the Netherlands, that 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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