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Chelsea manager Frank Lampard to hold talks with Olivier Giroud ahead of January window

<p>Decision time | Olivier Giroud may leave Chelsea in January in order to get game time ahead of the Euros</p> (EPA)

Decision time | Olivier Giroud may leave Chelsea in January in order to get game time ahead of the Euros

(EPA)

Frank Lampard will have a “grown up” conversation with Olivier Giroud ahead of the January transfer window.

The Chelsea manager wants to keep hold of the France striker – but accepts he wants regular game-time to ensure his place at next summer’s Euros.

Giroud has been pushed down the pecking order at Stamford Bridge following the arrival of Timo Werner. And 34-year-old’s agent last week claimed his client had unfairly been overlooked by Lampard in favour of Tammy Abraham.

That has opened the door to a potential January move – but Lampard is adamant he sees Giroud’s future at Chelsea.

He said: “I saw Oli's agent's quotes and I thought nothing of them in a bad way, because it's normal. I know Oli very well and we can have a conversation.

"He wants to play, when he doesn't play he's an incredible support for the other players. He trains brilliantly no matter what, and we have really grown-up conversations. In January, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

"My first thought always has to be the strength of our squad. We'll have to see how that one goes and I'll always be honest with Oli, but I still think he's got a big contribution for us. I know that, because I know how he is.

“I don't want to get drawn at the end of November into conversations about what might happen in January, not just at the minute.”

Giroud has started just one game this season, against Tottenham in the EFL Cup.

Meanwhile Abraham has scored in three successive appearances and is forging an impressive partnership with Werner.

Lampard added: “I do have plans to have Oli. He is a very important in our squad. He was a big member of our squad last year and I think he played a lot of games and made a lot of starts for us last year.

"When you look at our games, he made a lot of league starts and I think he played a relative amount. He will always want to play more. He is a huge member of the squad for me and I know he will be important for us going forward.

“I want Oli to stay here because he will play and I have a good relationship with Oli. If he ever felt that was going to go a different way then I am happy to have that conversation with him but I want him to stay here and we will be very open both ways if that ever changed, but at the minute, he is very important to me.”

Despite Lampard’s desire to keep Giroud, he still faces a fight for more first team action, with Abraham in outstanding form so far this season.

Lampard said: "I am really pleased with him and he is playing really well at the minute.

"I have to say, I think in some parts, it got slightly forgotten how good he was in the first half of last season because he was a massive plus for us and scored a lot of goals. He was a big reason at the time that we got a lot of results and finished fourth.

"A lot of individuals will take credit and Tammy should for the first half, the second half was more difficult for him. I think that is normal for a developing player because he is still relatively young.

“At the minute now, I am clearly seeing a mirror of how he trains and how he is. He is training brilliantly, he is enthusiastic which is when Tammy is at his best. I hope that continues.”

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