Milan striker Olivier Giroud admits José Mourinho wanted to take him to Tottenham in 2020, but he snubbed a move to North London and so he did with Inter and Lazio.
Giroud joined Milan from Chelsea in a €1m deal in the summer.
However, he could have left Stamford Bridge much earlier as both Tottenham, Lazio and Inter wanted to sign him in January 2020.
José Mourinho was in charge of Spurs at that time, while Antonio Conte was the Nerazzurri coach.
“Tottenham was interested and Jose Mourinho was interested. But I was so close to signing for Inter, for Lazio, I was desperate for game time,” Giroud told The Mirror.
“Tottenham was there but, to be honest, it was not a clear option because the race for the Premier League top four made it difficult for anything to happen.
“But also in my heart, as a proper ex-Gunner, and as we always say: ‘Once a Gunner, always a Gunner.’ It would have been very weird to have played Tottenham. That’s why it didn’t happen,” the French striker explained.
Giroud spent six years at Arsenal scoring 105 goals in 253 games. The Gunners are the club where the 35-year-old played more games in his professional career.
The former Chelsea and Arsenal striker signed a two-year deal with Milan in the summer. But can he play until he is 40?
“There are so many good examples. Like here in Milan, Paolo Maldini led a good way of life, played until his 40s, Zlatan is so professional and I pay attention to that and it’s massively important,” he said.
“But while my body remains in good shape and my motivations stay high, I still want to play. While that remains, I want to carry on. After that, I want to stay in football and maybe opportunities will present to me.
“I would like to become a sporting director or something like that because football is all I’ve known in my life. It’s more common for former players in Italy, but that’s not why I came to Milan and I think it will get more and more common in England anyway.”
The French striker has scored two goals in five appearances with Milan so far this term.
Olivier Giroud reveals how close he was to Tottenham transfer before Arsenal guilthttps://t.co/4ngcW0AcnZ pic.twitter.com/YNFKKPnqNZ
— Mirror Football (@MirrorFootball) October 14, 2021