EPL News

Olivier Giroud Set to Retire at End of Season After Remarkable Career

1 week ago

Olivier Giroud has revealed that he is planning to retire from professional football at the end of the 2026/27 season, bringing the curtain down on one of the most decorated careers of his generation. The 40-year-old French striker, currently playing for Lille, made the announcement while reflecting on his future and the physical demands of his 22nd professional season.Giroud has enjoyed an extraordinary career spanning France, England, Italy and the United States. His trophy cabinet includes the 2018 FIFA World Cup with France, the UEFA Champions League and Europa League with Chelsea, Serie A with AC Milan, Ligue 1 with Montpellier and four FA Cup triumphs.Olivier Giroud's Chelsea CareerFor Chelsea supporters, Giroud's three-and-a-half years at Stamford Bridge remain particularly memorable. The striker joined Chelsea from Arsenal in January 2018 and went on to make 119 appearances for the Blues, scoring 39 goals.Giroud immediately contributed to Chelsea's 2018 FA Cup triumph before becoming a key figure in the club's Europa League-winning campaign during the 2018/19 season. He scored 11 goals in the competition, finishing as its leading scorer, and found the net in the final against Arsenal in Baku.His finest European moments continued during Chelsea's 2020/21 Champions League campaign. Giroud scored four goals in a memorable 4-0 victory over Sevilla before producing an spectacular bicycle kick against Atletico Madrid in the last 16. Chelsea eventually lifted the Champions League trophy in Porto, giving Giroud his second major European title with the club.A Fitting Final ChapterGiroud also became France's all-time leading scorer during his international career, finishing with 57 goals in 137 appearances. He would later be overtaken by the Kylian Mbappe. He helped France win the 2018 World Cup and retired from international football in 2024.Now, after more than two decades in professional football, Giroud appears ready to bring his playing career to an end. For Chelsea fans, his legacy will be defined by important goals, European success and his contribution to three major trophies at Stamford Bridge.

Why I Joined Chelsea: Morgan Rogers Reveals His Ambition

2 weeks ago

Morgan Rogers has explained why he chose to join Chelsea, revealing that the opportunity to compete at the highest level was a major factor behind his decision. The England international believes his move to Stamford Bridge represents an important step in his ambition to establish himself among the best players in the Premier League and eventually on the world stage.Rogers Wanted the Next ChallengeFor Rogers, the move to Chelsea was about more than simply joining another Premier League club. The winger believes he needed a new challenge and an environment that would push him beyond his previous limits.“It was time for me to take that next step and I feel like I want to be seen as one of the best players in the Premier League, one of the best players in the world. To do so, I needed to take that next step and that next chapter.”Chelsea's demanding environment was therefore a key attraction for Rogers. The club's expectations, pressure to win and competition for places provide the type of challenge he believes can accelerate his development.Competing With the BestRogers also highlighted his desire to test himself against elite players and compete on the biggest stages. Playing for Chelsea gives him the opportunity to experience that level of pressure regularly.“I need to play with the best players in the world and compete with the best players in the world, and on that bigger stage, and I just feel Chelsea brings that different level of pressure of having to win and having to perform each game.”That competitive environment is particularly important for a player determined to continue improving. Rogers believes the demands of playing for Chelsea can help him develop both technically and mentally.Inspired by Chelsea's HistoryThe quality of players around him has already made an impression on Rogers. Training alongside top-level teammates has forced him to raise his own standards and adapt to a higher level of competition.“And the calibre of players I’ve playing with and training with each game has gone to a whole new level and made me have to understand how to get that new level myself. It is mind-boggling to think I can be part of the history of that club.”Rogers' comments underline the ambition behind his Chelsea journey. Rather than viewing the move simply as a career progression, he sees Stamford Bridge as the platform to challenge himself, compete for major honours and build a legacy of his own.

Cole Palmer Set to Withdraw From England Squad for International Break

2 weeks ago

Cole Palmer is set to withdraw from the England squad for the upcoming international break, with workload management and a minor muscle issue understood to be behind the decision. The Chelsea forward had only recently earned a recall to Thomas Tuchel's England squad after missing the 2026 World Cup.Palmer has made an impressive start to the 2026/27 campaign, registering four goals and two assists in seven appearances for Chelsea. He has been one of the key attacking players in Xabi Alonso's side and played the full 90 minutes in Chelsea's recent defeat to Brentford.Palmer's workload raises concernsThe decision comes against the backdrop of Palmer's difficult 2025/26 season, when he struggled with a series of injury problems. The Chelsea star missed 26 matches last season, with a groin problem among the issues that disrupted his campaign. Palmer later explained that he had returned to playing before he was fully ready and said he had been working to prevent similar problems from recurring.Chelsea are therefore understood to be taking a cautious approach. Reports indicate that Palmer has played almost every minute of Chelsea's campaign so far, making the extended international window an opportunity to manage his workload and allow him to recover.The timing is particularly significant because Palmer had been recalled by Tuchel for England's opening UEFA Nations League fixtures. England are scheduled to face Spain at Wembley on September 26, Czechia away on September 29, Croatia in Rijeka on October 3 and Czechia again at Wembley on October 6.Caicedo and João Pedro also miss international dutyPalmer is not the only Chelsea star staying behind during the international break. Moisés Caicedo has been left out of Ecuador's squad while recovering from a muscular injury. Ecuador are scheduled to face South Korea and Japan during the window.Meanwhile, João Pedro has withdrawn from Brazil's squad because of injury. Brazil will face Australia twice before playing India, with Fluminense's Matheus Martinelli called up as his replacement. The Brazilian Football Confederation did not disclose the nature of João Pedro's injury.For Chelsea, the international break therefore provides Palmer, Caicedo and João Pedro with valuable recovery time ahead of a demanding period of the season.