Juventus boss Andrea Pirlo admits interest in signing Chelsea forward Olivier Giroud during January transfer window

Juventus boss Andrea Pirlo has admitted he would be interested in signing Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud in January.

Giroud has been one of the Blues’ standout performers this term but has been left out in recent matches with Timo Werner and Tammy Abraham favoured in attack by Frank Lampard.

The World Cup winner appeared nailed on to leave the west London club last season after finding his first-team chances limited due to Abraham’s sparkling form.

However, he scored eight goals in 11 matches towards the end of the campaign to help Chelsea seal Champions League qualification and earn himself renewed importance in Lampard’s plans.

This season, Giroud has once again demonstrated his importance to Chelsea by netting nine times in all competitions, but interest is hotting up in the World Cup winner as his minutes in the first-team continue to be limited.

And Juve boss Pirlo has made no secret of his desire to bring him to Turin if he gets the chance.

“He’d be handy!”, Pirlo told DAZN when asked if he could make a January swoop for Giroud.

“The window opens tomorrow, we already discussed with the club what we want to do and if there are any opportunities. Maybe a striker that can rotate with our strikers.”

Giroud was linked with a move away from Chelsea last summer and could still seek a transfer if he remains behind Abraham and Werner, though Lampard expressed how important he is to the Blues earlier this season.

“He is the ultimate professional, and I think he’s done that through his career,” said the boss.

“I think that’s why with Oli you see his numbers for France and in the Champions League.

“He wasn’t always a regular before I got here, but as soon as I came in I could feel the positivity off him as a player, how he wants to train, how he wants to affect people whether he starts or not.”