Former Everton manager Ronald Koeman has told Voetbal International that the club were close to signing Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud in the summer.

What’s the word?

The Frenchman was heavily linked with a switch to Goodison Park in the transfer window as the Merseyside outfit tried to find a replacement for Romelu Lukaku, who left to join Manchester United.

Koeman spent in excess of £100m on new players, but the void left behind by the Belgian striker was never filled.

Following a run of just two wins in nine Premier League games, Everton sacked the manager.

Now, the Dutchman has been opening up about the summer transfer activity, offering an insight into the club’s pursuit of Giroud.

He told Voetbal International:

“I had Olivier Giroud in the building. That would have been perfect for us, but he decided at the last moment that he’d rather live in London. That was hard to swallow, you tell me where you can get a better striker.

“Lukaku was important to us, not only because of his goals, but because of his way of playing – strong, quick, direct. There was always the option of the long ball to him. Now we missed such a player, we had Nicola Vlasic and Wayne Rooney, players who want the ball in to feet.”

Would Giroud have saved Koeman’s job?

The Frenchman would certainly have boosted Everton’s attacking threat and it is fair to say that the team would have scored more than seven league goals at this stage.

However, filling Lukaku’s boots is no easy feat and given that Giroud has not been a regular starter at Arsenal in the last year, he may have needed time to find his feet.

Koeman is right, though, in that the striker would have provided the team with a target man, who has strength and presence in the box.

The problems this season have not been solely related to up front as the players have also conceded 18 goals in the top flight.

Giroud may have kept Koeman in his job for a lot longer, but there is no guarantee the striker’s acquisition would have saved him.