OLIVIER GIROUD says he’s set to to leave Arsenal at the end of next season.
The Gunners striker admits that he has been unhappy with life on the bench and that is unlikely to sign a new deal after his current one runs out in 2018.
He had to wait until November for his first start of the campaign after returning from France’s Euro 2016 final defeat to Portugal, before a toe injury sidelined him for a month.
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Giroud came off the bench to fire in a double against beleaguered Sunderland at the end of October, before boss Arsene Wenger finally gave him a start against Bulgarian minnow Lugogorets in the Champions League last week.
He has slipped behind Alexis Sanchez and Lucas Perez in Wenger’s thoughts and has been forced to concede that next season will be his last at The Emirates.
He told L’Equipe: “I see my future at Arsenal until the date my contract ends.
“I feel good here and I want to play at the highest level for as long as possible.
“I still feel I’ve got the gas to do it. After, for sure I’d prefer to be playing, but it will be for me to find my place.
“I won’t lie, there have been times I’ve been disappointed and not happy with my situation. But the coach knows that. He’s the one who makes the choices.
“I have not knocked on Arsene’s office. We’ll see, I’m not worried, my time will come.
“He’s always supported me in the difficult times and I have every confidence he’ll keep doing so.
“I’ll fight for my place. What’s happening today is the story of my career. It’s endless in football.
“I’m not the kind of player to give up and to demand things. Even if I don’t play all the matches, I’m sure the coach will use me. We’ll take stock at the end of the season.”
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Giroud says his frustrations came to a head after he was left out against PSG on a return to his homeland – only to get himself sent off when he came on as a substitute.
He added: “I thought I would start because the coach had put me on the bench against Southampton, three days before. But no.
“It is in that moment, on the morning of the match in Paris, that I had a discussion with him. He said that I was close to returning. Frankly, I was hurt, disappointed.
“This match was finally terrible because I hurt my foot after two minutes of a start, and I couldn’t get in my stride. And I am then sent off.
“The following week, against Chelsea, I take my first ball and the pain returns immediately.”
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