I’LL PLAY ON INTO MY FORTIES SPURS? NEVER GUNNER

EXCLUSIVE BY JOHN CROSS

VETERAN striker Olivier Giroud wants to follow Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Paolo Maldini by playing into his 40s – but already has his sights set on his next career move.

Giroud, 35, who joined AC Milan in the summer, said: “There are so many good examples. Here in Milan, Paolo Maldini (right) led a good way of life, played until his 40s. Zlatan (top) is so professional and I pay attention to that and it’s important. But while my body remains in good shape and my motivations stay high, I still want to play. After that, I want to stay in football and maybe opportunities will present to me. I’d 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 common in England anyway.”

EXCLUSIVE

JOSE MOURINHO wanted to sign Olivier Giroud for Tottenham.

But the former Arsenal striker admitted he could not have moved there in January 2020 because it would have felt “weird” to play for his former club’s great rivals.

Giroud was with Chelsea at the time and Tottenham wanted a centre-forward as Harry Kane was injured.

The France star, now with AC Milan, said: “Tottenham were interested and Jose Mourinho was interested. But I was so close to

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signing for Inter, for Lazio, I was desperate for game time.

“Tottenham 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, we always say ‘Once a Gunner, always a Gunner.’ It would have been very weird to have played for Tottenham. That’s why it didn’t happen.”

Despite Spurs and Mourinho (above) wanting him, Chelsea also feared selling Giroud would strengthen a top-four rival.