Montpellier confirm striker deal

Montpellier's deputy president Laurent Nicollin has confirmed Arsenal are close to signing Olivier Giroud.

Giroud, who is part of Laurent Blanc's Euro 2012 squad, is thought to command a transfer fee in the region of £12million and the Gunners have already agreed to pay up. The 25-year-old scored 25 goals for his club last season to help Montpellier win the Ligue 1 title, igniting the interest of several top clubs. However, it appears Arsenal are set to add the promising Frenchman to their squad, which has already been bolstered by the arrival of Germany marksman Lukas Podolski. "Discussions are happening and going well, as part of the (release) clause set. Things are moving serenely," Nicollin said in French newspaper Midi Libre. Once the deal for Giroud is complete, Arsenal could then look to offload some of their fringe players, including Denmark striker Nicklas Bendtner and Morocco international Marouane Chamakh.