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LAFC and Olivier Giroud have reportedly agreed to a verbal agreement.
The former Chelsea and Arsenal attacker has entered the final six months of his contract at San Siro, leaving him free to initiate pre-contract conversations with overseas clubs.
Despite his advanced age, Giroud’s goal-scoring abilities have not dimmed, as he has 14 goals in 36 matches across all tournaments this season, along with nine assists.
However, France’s all-time greatest male goalscorer will turn 38 in September, and the Rossoneri are not likely to extend Giroud’s contract as they plan for the future.
The World Cup winner appears to have no plans to retire just yet, and a relocation to North America has been suggested if he decides to end his career in European sport.
A planned move to the United States is thought to be getting closer, with journalist Fabrizio Romano reporting that Los Angeles FC and Giroud had achieved a verbal agreement on a transfer, five months after the Black and Gold first expressed interest.
Giroud is likely to sign a deal until December 2025, keeping him in the MLS until after he turns 39, and the transfer should go smoothly provided the necessary documentation are signed.
LAFC to sign Olivier Giroud | Which veteran players will the Frenchman join in MLS?
While a variety of soon-to-be ex-players, as well as certain athletes at the prime of their powers, have been enticed by Saudi Arabia’s wealth, many more have chosen to play in MLS, most notably eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi.
The former Barcelona player leads a fifth of ex-Blaugrana stalwarts on Inter Miami’s roster, which also includes Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba, and Sergio Busquets, who have a combined age of 107.
Giroud’s projected move to MLS will also reunite him with Hugo Lloris, another 2018 World Cup champion who currently plays goal for Los Angeles FC, and he is the seventh-oldest player to participate in the division this season.
At 37 years and two months old, Lloris is only two years younger than the oldest player in the current MLS season, 39-year-old Atlanta United goalkeeper Brad Guzan, who formerly played for Aston Villa, Hull City, and Middlesbrough and is still going strong six months before his 40th birthday.
Martin Caceres, a Champions League winner with Barcelona, now plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy, while Maya Yoshida, Teemu Pukki, Christian Benteke, Lorenzo Insigne, Ashley Westwood, and Asier Illarramendi have also crossed the Atlantic to represent MLS clubs.
