Olivier Giroud has departed LAFC and reached an agreement to return to Europe, according to reports.
The Frenchman has made 37 appearances and scored five goals for the MLS outfit since joining from AC Milan last summer.
But after just over a year in Los Angeles, Giroud’s final match with the club will be on Sunday, June 29, when the Black and Gold host Vancouver Whitecaps.
At 38 years old, Giroud still seems keen to play at the highest level and has agreed a one-year contract proposal from Lille, as per Fabrizio Romano.
It is understood that the former Arsenal and Chelsea striker has booked his medical with the Ligue 1 side, and will return to his home nation as the sun sets on his career.
As per an official announcement from LAFC, the decision for Giroud to depart the club was mutually agreed upon.
Olivier Giroud has left LAFC and reportedly accepted a one year contract proposal from Lille
The former Chelsea and Arsenal striker has reportedly booked his medical with the Ligue 1 club
Giroud will be 39 in September and has scored 289 goals in 752 career appearances so far
After netting against Portland Timbers in April, Giroud became the oldest ever European player to score in the MLS, at 38 years 6 months and 19 days.
With LAFC, he added another piece of silverware to his cabinet, winning the U.S Open Cup in 2024.
Giroud will return to France, where he began his career playing in Grenoble’s youth academy before finally signing his first professional contract at the age of 21.
He then endured a loan spell at Istres before permanently moving to Tours, where he enjoyed a standout stint. With 21 goals in the 2009–10 season, Giroud became Ligue 2 top scorer.
His rise continued at Montpellier, helping the club win its first-ever Ligue 1 title in 2011–12 by scoring a league-best 21 goals.
This earned him a move to Arsenal in 2012, where he scored 105 goals in 253 appearances, winning three FA Cups along the way.
In January 2018, Giroud joined Chelsea, where he contributed 39 goals in 119 games, enjoying success in the FA Cup, Europa League, and, of course, the Champions League, which Chelsea won in 2021.
Giroud then moved to AC Milan in 2021, helping them clinch their first Serie A title in 11 years by scoring 11 league goals in his debut season. Across three seasons in Italy, he netted 49 times in 132 matches.
