Didier Deschamps warns Olivier Giroud that Arsenal stay may have consequences

Didier Deschamps has warned Olivier Giroud that his decision to stay at Arsenal and play a bit part role may have its consequences when the manager picks his squad for the World Cup next year. The Frenchman has not started a single game thus far in the league but has been subbed in during all the six games while starting in the Europa League and the Carabao Cup.

The 30-year-old made just 11 Premier League starts last season and was linked with moves to Everton and West Ham United following the arrival of Alexandre Lacazette. But after the start of the campaign, Giroud committed himself to Arsenal for the remaining two years of his contract.

However, his decision has not gone down well with Deschamps, who is not pleased with the striker not playing regularly in the league. The ex-Montpellier frontman went to score 100 goals for the Gunners after scoring against BATE Borisov and hopes to continue his goalscoring form for the Gunners further into the season. The France international became the 19th player to score 100 goals for the Gunners.

"This is not ideal," says Deschamps, as quoted by France Football. "His playing time is reduced. He plays the Europa League. I will not take away from him what he did with us, his very good statistics (6 goals in 7 games in blue in 2017), but I would prefer him to be in a club where he plays almost all games. He made the decision to stay in Arsenal. It's his choice. It can have consequences like all other players."

Giroud has been called up to the France squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Bulgaria and Belarus but Deschamps' warning may play on his mind, leading him to decide his future in the January transfer window. However, his remarkable achievement has garnered a lot of praise from his teammates, not least his manager Arsene Wenger, who congratulated him profusely after the Europa League fixture.

"I just congratulated him for his remarkable achievement of 100 goals. He is in good company when you look. When you play football, the most difficult thing is to score goals and he has scored 100 for us," the Gunners boss told Arsenal's official website.