Arsene Wenger begs Olivier Giroud to stay at Arsenal amid West Ham and Marseille interest

ARSENE WENGER is begging Olivier Giroud to stay at Arsenal next season.

The French striker is a target for West Ham and Marseielle after growing frustrated at being relegated to the bench.

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But Gunners chief Wenger, 67, is aiming to reassure his countyman that he still has a key role to play.

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He said: “It has been a frustrating season for him because he has not played a lot. And when he has played well, he has not always played the next match.

“He has won us a lot of points when he has come on because he has scored lots of times. He has qualities that our team need.”

Giroud played 40 times for Arsenal last season but 23 of those appearances came from the bench.

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He still managed to score 16 times and often made a telling contirubtion when coming on.

The classy forward signed a new deal in January which means Gunenrs chiefs are in no desperate need to sell and can command a high premium.

While sometimes criticised for a lack of energy, Giroud has been highly effective for club and country.

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He recently hit out at sections of the France support who questioned his inclusdion despite scoring 17 times in his last 21 caps.

Giroud, 30, said: 'To be honest with you, it's a bit tedious. It's been the story of my career.

"People have always questioned me over the years. It does get to you after a while, especially because you're doing the job on the field."