Everton boost as Marseille boss Rudi Garcia admits Olivier Giroud won’t be moving to France
Now Ronald Koeman must persuade Frenchman he has far better chance of first-team play at Goodison than at the Emirates
EVERTON'S hopes of signing Olivier Giroud have received a timely boost with the news he won't be heading back to France.
The Arsenal striker has turned down the chance to move to Marseille, it has been revealed.
Giroud's future at the Emirates is uncertain following the arrival of record signing Alexandre Lacazette from Lyon.
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The Frenchman also faces continued competition from Danny Welbeck and Theo Walcott, and his game time could be limited.
Everton have been heavily linked with the 30-year-old striker and could now try to make more headway over attracting him to Merseyside.
Boss Ronald Koeman will believe he can persuade Giroud that his plans to make Everton a Champions League club offer him his best new career move.
Marseille spoke to Giroud but manager Rudi Gracia told L'Equipe that the move was a non-starter.
He said: "I think he [Giroud] does not want to come to Marseille. That is the problem.
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"It can be understood, when you are the striker of the French [national] team, that he's eventually going to change clubs, but he may have other interests than OM.
"We need people motivated to play in our country."
Giroud was on the bench for Arsenal's Community Shield win against Chelsea last weekend.
After replacing Lacazette it was his penalty that sealed the 4-1 shoot-out win following a 1-1 draw in normal time at Wembley.
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