Enner Valencia, Davy Klaassen and now Olivier Giroud... Evertonians could be forgiven for watching some of the goals at this year’s World Cup fly in with a few wistful glances. While Valencia and Klaassen each got to spend a season at Goodison Park – the former on loan and the latter having arrived from Ajax before being sold to Werder Bremen – Giroud could hold the dubious honour as being one of the greatest signings Everton never made under Farhad Moshiri.
Giroud’s brace in the opening game of holders France’s defence of their crown, a 4-1 comeback win over Australia, saw him equal the legendary Thierry Henry’s record as his country’s all-time leading goalscorer. A tally of 51 goals in 115 internationals is obviously hugely-impressive, as was his 144 goals in 372 games for English clubs Arsenal and Chelsea, but while Giroud came close to joining Everton in 2017, they couldn’t get a deal over the line.
Ronald Koeman revealed after his sacking as Blues boss that just a few weeks earlier during the summer transfer window: “I had Olivier Giroud in the building.
