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Soccer Extras: Chelsea's Giroud extends contract; Gyan retires

May 21, 2019 17:45 IST

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IMAGE: Chelsea's Olivier Giroud. Photograph: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

Olivier Giroud has signed a new one-year contract with Chelsea to extend his stay at Stamford Bridge until the end of next season, the Premier League club said on Tuesday.

The 32-year-old French striker has scored 17 goals in 62 appearances for Chelsea since joining from Arsenal in January, 2018.

 

"I am very happy to sign a new contract," Giroud told the club's website.

"I really wanted to stay at least one more year - I have felt a part of the team, the family, since the beginning and hopefully there will be more trophies to come."

France international Giroud is the Europa League's joint top scorer this season with 10 goals. He is the first Chelsea player to hit double figures for goals in a single season of European football.

Chelsea face Giroud's former club Arsenal in an all-English final on May 29.

Ghana striker Gyan calls time on international career

Ghana's all-time leading goal-scorer Asamoah Gyan announced his international retirement on Monday, a month before the start of the African Nations Cup.

The news follows shortly after he was removed as the national team's captain.

Striker Gyan has not featured for the side since September 2017 after persistent injury problems and has also battled for game-time with his Turkish club Kayserispor.

"Upon consultation with my family and team, and as an active footballer and captain of the national team, if the decision of the coach is to give captaincy of the tournament to another player while I am named in the team (squad) of the tournament, I wish to recuse myself from the tournament," Gyan said in a statement.

"I also wish to retire from the national team permanently," he said.

The 33-year-old netted 51 goals in 106 international appearances, both Ghana national team records, which includes scoring at six consecutive Nations Cup finals, as well as three World Cups between 2006 and 2014.

Gyan's six World Cup goals is the most by an African player.

Source: REUTERS
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