Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud wants January loan move to boost World Cup bid

OIivier Giroud wants to leave Arsenal on loan in the January transfer window as he fears being left out of France's World Cup squad due to his lack of playing time at the Emirates Stadium, according to reports.

Giroud, 31, is yet to start a league game for the Gunners this season, with club-record summer signing Alexandre Lacazette ahead of him in the pecking order.

The Sunday Mirror says Giroud will consider joining another club in London on loan until the end of the season as he does not want to unsettle his family.

West Ham and Crystal Palace are among the clubs who could pursue a deal for the striker when the transfer window reopens, the paper adds.

"Olivier does not want to disturb and uproot his family," a source close to Giroud told the Mirror.

"Ideally, he wants to stay but he needs football – there are options in London for him."

Last week, France assistant coach Guy Stephan warned Giroud that he could be left out of the World Cup squad if he does not play regularly for his club in the second half of the season.

"It's clear that he is not getting enough playing time and [France coach] Didier [Deschamps] has already spoken to him about it," Stephan was reported as saying by Eurosport.

"He has a very good goals-to-games ratio, but he now has to play."

Giroud came close to joining Everton in a £40m ($54m) deal last summer but Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger convinced the striker to stay put at the Emirates.

French clubs Lyon and Marseille were also linked with the forward, who has netted three times in the league for the Gunners this season.

Giroud signed a new contract at Arsenal in January and said in the summer that he was motivated to win more titles with the club.

Arsenal are 15 points behind Premier League leaders Manchester City in sixth. They face Southampton at St Mary's on 10 December.