Arsenal's Wenger counts his lucky stars Giroud didn't leave

• Guardian, Saturday, August 12, 2017 2:44 AM

French supersub Olivier Giroud, the hero of Arsenal's wild 4-3 win over Leicester City on opening day of the English Premier League, could have left the Gunners over the summer, but manager Arsene Wenger is glad he didn't bolt.

“I opened the door for him at some stage as I had many strikers," he said, "and it’s important for him to play but I don’t want him to go. In the end, he decided to stay and it was one of the great days of the recent weeks for me. I know how important he is not only as a player -- he’s a fantastic player -- but also in the group he has a big weight. It was a relief for me he decided to stay. Giroud in his prime is at the top of his game.”

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