SAID IT WAS TIME TO QUIT ARSENAL

31, admitted he felt “a bit of emotion” when he left the Emirates Stadium after more than five years but said his choice was “simple”.

Giroud explained: “I had wanted to stay at Arsenal to try my luck even when Alex Lacazette arrived.

“The reality is that the manager, Arsene Wenger, wanted to recruit another central striker. And it was PierreEmerick Aubameyang (right with Henrikh Mkhitaryan).

“When he signed, that made three central strikers and that is why I decided to leave. “There was a bit of disappointment even if I spent five magnificent years there. “I could have stayed but I needed a back-up plan. “I wanted to stay in the Premier League and Chelsea was a great opportunity for me.”