Gabby Logan has revealed that Olivier Giroud nearly signed for Celtic before Montpellier's chairman dissuaded him with a brutal takedown of Scottish football. The 39-year-old French striker, who went on to star for Arsenal, Chelsea, and France, almost moved to Glasgow in 2010.
Logan's Revelation
BBC host Gabby Logan joked about whether Giroud would support Scotland due to his aborted transfer, prompting the story to resurface. Giroud had previously recounted how Montpellier chairman Louis Nicollin warned him against moving to Scotland, saying, “What are you going to do in Scotland in KILCHMARCHNOCK!”
Giroud's Account
Giroud explained that he was impressed by Celtic's 60,000-seat stadium and saw it as a springboard to the Premier League. However, after a call with Nicollin, he was convinced to join Montpellier instead. “He said, ‘Come to us, you’ll be all right — you’ll be happy’,” Giroud recalled. Despite higher offers from Celtic and Middlesbrough, Giroud chose Montpellier to make his mark in Ligue 1 before moving abroad.
This story highlights how a single conversation can alter a player's career path, and it has now become a talking point in Scottish football circles.
