Inter Milan 'leading race to sign Chelsea forward Olivier Giroud'

Inter Milan have reportedly entered pole position in the race to complete a deal for Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud over the January transfer window.

The Frenchman is expected to complete a move away from Stamford Bridge after falling behind Tammy Abraham and Michy Batshuayi in Frank Lampard's pecking order.

Aston Villa, Newcastle United and Crystal Palace have all been linked with showing interest in the World Cup winner.

According to The Telegraph, however, Inter are currently leading the race, with Giroud said to favour a move to Serie A as opposed to staying in the Premier League.

Inter boss Antonio Conte signed Giroud during his time at Chelsea in January 2018 and saw the striker net five times during the second half of the 2018-19 campaign.

The report also states that Giroud, whose contract at Stamford Bridge expires in six months, has attracted interest from Bordeaux, where he would link up with former Arsenal teammate Laurent Koscielny.