GIROUD OFF TO RUSSIA

OLIVIER GIROUD has admitted he will consider leaving Arsenal in January to keep alive his World Cup dream.

And the France striker has claimed he could have gone in the summer if he had a better offer than Everton.

Giroud scored his fourth Premier League goal this season from the bench at Southampton, but he has still to start a game.

Arsene Wenger (left) promised the cup specialist more game time and insisted he will not leave in the January window despite loan interest from West Ham and Crystal Palace. “It’s up to us,” said the Gunners boss.

But on a documentary shown on l’equipe TV last night, the £13million striker revealed how he is driven to make the France squad in Russia next summer.

“The World Cup, I have it in my head every week, almost every day,” Giroud said.

“Every time I go on the pitch, it is to be the most efficient and keep going with my goal of reaching the World Cup.”

Giroud, 31, who has 18 months left on his Arsenal deal said France coach Didier Deschamps has told him to get more game time. “The coach has the habit, during get-togethers, of warning me about this,” he said.

“He has told me things he had said before, which is totally logical and which I understand. He wants me to play more.

“If I couldn’t leave this summer, it was because of the opportunities I had. I did want not to leave for the sake of leaving.

“But it is sure, even in January, it is again going to be necessary to ask myself the question.”

Giroud says he may have to quit Arsenal to get regular football and keep his place in the France squad