Olivier Giroud has risen to the task for Milan this season, but the club are acutely aware that reliable cover is needed for the soon-to-be 37-year-old.
The veteran Frenchman, whose birthday is at the end of this month, has shined in the early stages of this campaign, netting four goals and providing two assists in the club’s first five games across Serie A and the Champions League.
The retirement of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and departures of Ante Rebic and Divock Origi left Giroud with no cover up front, prompting the club to pick up Noah Okafor and Luka Jovic in the summer transfer market. Neither, however, has made a strong impression yet.
Page 19 of today’s Gazzetta dello Sport highlights how Milan’s overreliance on Giroud is starting to become plainly apparent, a worrying situation considering his age. The concern is that the 36-year-old will not be able to handle starting two games a week for the majority of the campaign.
The club and Stefano Pioli are expecting answers from Okafor and Jovic, neither of whom have been given much of a chance to stake their claim. That is set to change. In the mid-week clash with Cagliari on September 27, one of the two is set to start in Giroud’s place.