Olivier Giroud set for crunch talks with Arsene Wenger over Arsenal contract

OLIVIER GIROUD is set for showdown talks with Arsene Wenger after revealing his frustration with life at Arsenal.

But Barcelona target Hector Bellerin is close to agreeing a new deal after his agent flew in to negotiate terms last week.

Wenger recently admitted getting full back Bellerin’s future sorted was a top priority, but Giroud’s looks far from certain.

The France striker has hardly featured for the Gunners since he was given extra time off by Wenger after Euro 2016.

And that is not guaranteed to change any time soon – despite strike rival Alexis Sanchez suffering an injury scare yesterday.

Sanchez suffered a low-grade muscle tear in training with Chile but still hopes to play for them against Uruguay next Tuesday.

Giroud’s five Premier League appearances have all come as a substitute and he only played the last 21 minutes of Sunday’s draw with Tottenham.

The 30-year-old first held talks with Wenger back in September before Arsenal’s 1-1 draw with Paris St-Germain in the Champions League.

But he wants assurances he still has a future at the Emirates as he enters the last 18 months of his contract.

Giroud said: “I thought I would start that game because the coach had put me on the bench against Southampton three days before. But no.

“On the morning of the match in Paris, I had a discussion with him. He said I was close to returning. Frankly, I was hurt, disappointed.”

When Giroud came on against PSG, he managed to get injured, and then sent off.

He said: “This match was terrible because I hurt my foot after two minutes and then I couldn’t get in my stride.

“Then I was sent off. The week after, against Chelsea, the pain returned immediately as soon as I touched the ball.

“I was only just back then I was out for a month and a half. The coach told me that he admires me for my strength of character.

“I know that he supports me. But still. It mustn’t last too long or happen too often. Over time, it wears you down.”

Arsenal went unbeaten during Giroud’s spell on the sidelines and Sanchez has taken his place as first-choice centre forward.

Giroud scored twice after coming on in the 4-1 win over Sunderland last month, and then started and scored in the 3-2 win over Ludogorets.

But he was back on the bench for the North London derby and reckons this has been the most difficult start to a season in his whole career.

He said: “Against Sunderland, I scored with my first two touches. That’s not going to happen every day.

“I had hoped to play against Spurs because I’d had two good games. I was a little bit disappointed, but I’m not the sort of person to just give up.

“When I watched Arsenal from the stands, I saw a team that was playing well and that was having a very good start to the season, and I said to myself that the train was leaving without me and that I mustn’t get too far behind.”