Olivier Giroud has told the press that he tried to persuade Moussa Sissoko to join Arsenal from Newcastle in the summer.
Sissoko made the £30 million move to Arsenal’s arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur on deadline day, with the side and Everton fighting for his signature.
He has previously been linked with a move to the Gunners, and Giroud talked about his attempt to persuade his teammate at a press conference last weekend:
I told him to give Arsenal the priority. It’s true it was special denouement. Until the end he didn’t know what he’ll do.
Arsenal brought in two new faces during the final days of the summer transfer window. Striker Lucas Perez joined from Deportivo, and after previous rumours linking him to the Gunners Shkodran Mustafi signed from Valencia.
Spurs have strengthened their squad themselves, also bringing in Vincent Janssen, Kevin Nkoudou and Victor Wanyama.
Giroud also thinks that Tottenham could be battling for the Premier League trophy this season:
It’s good for him. I think it was quite a long month for him so it’s good that something could have happened even in the very last moments.
Arsenal will face Southampton at home this weekend after picking up one win, one draw and a loss. The Gunners and Spurs will play each other on Nov. 6.
