Arsenal to Sign Giroud on Five-Year Contract This Week: Roundup

The following is a roundup of soccer stories from U.K. newspapers, with clickable Internet links.

Gunners Get Giroud

Arsenal will complete the signing of France striker Olivier Giroud for 12 million pounds ($18.7 million) from Montpellier this week, the Sun reported.

Giroud, who scored 21 league goals in 36 games last season, will sign a five-year contract with the Gunners, the Sun added.

“I am so happy to be signing for Arsenal,” the newspaper cited Giroud, 25, as saying. “It is something that represents so much for me.”

Duo Return

Denilson and Carlos Vela are being forced to return to Arsenal after permanent transfers to their loan clubs fell through, the Daily Mirror reported.

Sao Paulo isn’t interested in signing Brazilian midfielder Denilson because Arsenal is asking 5 million pounds for him, while Real Sociedad wants to pay half of the 6 million-pound valuation Arsenal put on Mexican forward Vela, the paper added.

Free Agents

West Bromwich Albion and Everton are monitoring the situation of Rangers duo Steven Naismith and Steven Whittaker, who rejected the transfer of their contracts to the club’s new company following liquidation, the Daily Mail reported.

The Scottish national team players now consider themselves to be free agents, the newspaper added.

Bellamy Bid

Craig Bellamy may return to Cardiff City as the Welsh club considers a bid for the Liverpool striker, the Mail reported.

Cardiff’s Malaysian owners, who recently announced a 100 million-pound investment plan, are trying to work out finances to re-sign the 32-year-old, the Mail added.

Roman Raid

Barcelona made a move for Manchester City teenage midfielder Joan Angel Roman, the Daily Mirror reported.

Angel Roman, 19, hasn’t lived up to his promise since joining City from Espanyol three years ago and Barca wants to take him back to Spain in a deal likely to be structured so it pays a fee if he gets into the first team, the Mail added.

To contact the reporter on this story: Dan Baynes in Sydney at dbaynes@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Christopher Elser at celser@bloomberg.net