Chelsea's Champions League hero Olivier Giroud reckons he could have arrived in the Premier League far sooner - had he signed for Celtic.
The French striker, 34, scored an outrageous overhead kick to hand his side a 1-0 advantage over Atletico Madrid in the last 16 going into a second leg back at Stamford Bridge next month.
And the World Cup winner almost arrived in Glasgow when he left Ligue 2 club Tours back in 2010 - but instead moved to Montpellier where he spearheaded a monumental title-winning campaign.
He would later join Arsenal in 2012 before moving across London five-and-a-half years later, but Giroud reckons he'd have started his English career earlier had he signed for the Parkhead club.
He said: "I always said that I wanted to play in the Premier League as soon as I could. When I was at Tours, I had the opportunity to go to Birmingham City or Celtic.
"If I had signed for Celtic, it would have been a good gateway to the Premier League sooner.
"But I signed for Montpellier instead and I don't regret my choice.
"There I discovered a family club and I spent extraordinary years there. It was a very important choice in my career, I met friends with who I am still in touch with.
"That stage of my career will always be a source of immense pride."
