Olivier Giroud has revealed how Jose Mourinho wanted to sign him for Tottenham.
But former Arsenal striker Giroud admitted he could not have gone through with the deal in January 2020 because it would have felt “weird” to play for his old club’s great rivals.
Giroud was at Chelsea at the time, Tottenham wanted a centre forward after Harry Kane was injured and Mourinho wanted to go for the France star.
World Cup winner Giroud, 35, now with AC Milan, said: “Tottenham was interested and Jose Mourinho was interested. But I was so close to signing for Inter, for Lazio, I was desperate for game time.
“Tottenham was there but, to be honest, it was not a clear option because the race for the Premier league top four made it difficult for anything to happen.
“But also in my heart, as a proper ex-Gunner, and as we always say: ‘Once a Gunner, always a Gunner.’ It would have been very weird to have played Tottenham. That’s why it didn’t happen.”