Olivier Giroud has confirmed his Chelsea exit and penned a heartfelt farewell message to the London club and its fans ahead of confirmation of his move to AC Milan.
The Blues have agreed a deal with the Italian club for Giroud and the forward has been in Milan to undergo a medical and sign a two-year contract.
Chelsea are reported to be netting a transfer fee of around £2m for the 34-year-old Frenchman in a deal that includes significant add-ons.
Although AC Milan are yet to officially confirm the deal, Giroud pre-empted the announcement on social media as he bid farewell to Chelsea, describing his time at Stamford Bridge as ‘sensational’.
‘To all the Blues, to my teammates, to all my coaches, to the whole club, a huge thank you for these special moments,’ he wrote on Twitter.
‘I’m starting a new journey with a light and happy heart. ‘Our victories in the FA Cup, Europa League and Champions League have been magnificent. Love Oli G.’
Giroud was set to be out of contract with Chelsea this summer window but the club activated a one-year extension clause in June, meaning they have landed a good little fee for a player that was close to leaving for free.
The France international arrived at Milan’s La Madonnina clinic early on Friday to undergo a medical and signed a contract at the club’s offices afterwards.
In addition to the fee, Chelsea will also receive a series of bonus payments relating to the number of matches Giroud makes over the next two years and whether Milan qualify for the UEFA Champions League.
Giroud joined Chelsea from Arsenal in January 2018 for a fee of £18m and proved to be a very useful squad member, scoring 39 goals in 119 games – some of which proved very important – and helping the team win two European trophies.
