Olivier Giroud has spoken candidly about the move that took him from Arsenal to Chelsea in January 2018, admitting the transfer was driven by a single, clear objective: securing a place in France's squad for the 2018 World Cup.

The striker, now 40 years old, left the Gunners having scored 105 goals in 253 appearances — a return that made him one of the most productive forwards in the club's modern era. Signed originally by Arsène Wenger, Giroud credits his time in North London with transforming him as a footballer.

What Arsenal gave him

"When I arrive at Arsenal, I improve a lot on my game thanks to the daily basics we were doing in training," Giroud told the Mirror. "Working on your technique, your one-touch finishing but also to link up the play, to deflect the play, to play one-touch for your teammates and finish quick in the box."

He described Wenger's system as tailor-made for the kind of centre-forward he wanted to become. "I improved a lot in that way, to be the target man, the wall a player can use to use me. I had a very good understanding with the boys back in the day. That was Arsene's game, quick and smooth. And really enjoyable to watch."

Giroud also noted striking similarities between Wenger's side and Mikel Arteta's current Arsenal. "I watch a lot of Arsenal now and I see some similarities in their game — they always try to put pace into the game in the last third. I can see a lot of similarities between Wenger's team and the current side."

A tough but necessary call

"It was part of my career and my time. I had to leave the club in order to play the 2018 World Cup and we know the end of the story," Giroud said, referencing France's triumph in Russia that summer. "I was really sad to leave the club but I had to make that choice — and that was a tough one in my career — but it was necessary and important for the rest of my career."

The veteran striker now returns to North London in remarkable circumstances: representing Lille in the UEFA Champions League against the very club he once called home. "It's great to come back at 40 years old with a French club and play against Mikel Arteta's Arsenal," he said.

The match brings Giroud full circle — a living reminder of the ambition that drove one of the Premier League's most talked-about January departures.