---
title: "Championship outfit nearly signed Arsenal ace back in 2010"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/championship-outfit-nearly-signed-arsenal-ace-back-in-2010/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "TT Staff"
section: "Arsenal Football Club"
published: "2015-02-13T20:35:36Z"
modified: "2015-02-13T20:35:36Z"
---

# Championship outfit nearly signed Arsenal ace back in 2010

[![giroud](https://cdn.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/giroud-500x367.jpg)](https://cdn.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/giroud.jpg?admin)Our landlord has Arsenal fans looking up and over to the bar here in the Football Transfer Tavern with keen interest.

This is as he relays some of the gossip from [Metro](https://metro.co.uk/2015/02/12/olivier-giroud-i-nearly-signed-for-arsenals-fa-cup-opponents-middlesbrough-before-joining-montpellier-5060895/) who seem to think that Olivier Giroud came within a whisker of signing for their weekend FA Cup opponents.

The French international forward eventually ended up at Ligue 1 side Montpellier but before that in 2010 while at Tours, he could have chosen to join Middlesbrough or even SPL champions Celtic.

The Gunners forward was speaking to Arsenal.com ahead of Sunday’s clash with Aitor Karanka’s side and claimed: “Middlesbrough and Celtic (also wanted to sign me). It was a great team… today they are close to coming back into the English Premier League.”

Whilst our resident Gooners realise that Boro currently top the Championship table, proving they are a more than capable outfit, the majority of neutrals still fully expect the Gunners to march on in their defence of the FA Cup this season.

With sides like Chelsea and Manchester City falling in the previous round, Arsene Wenger will be confident of securing silverware once again.

### **Arsenal fans. He’s been at the Emirates Stadium for a few seasons now so to date, how would you rate Giroud’s Gunners career so far out of 10? Let us know your thoughts below.**