As Montpellier president Louis Nicollin reluctantly conceded this week, it is no longer a question of if Olivier Giroud leaves the club, but when.
In two years, the 25-year-old has gone from a promising Ligue 2 hotshot to the most feared striker in France, spearheading an unlikely title challenge that continues on Sunday when Montpellier visit league leaders Paris Saint-Germain.
Having scored 12 goals in his first Ligue 1 campaign with Montpellier last season, he currently leads the scoring charts with 16 strikes and is on course to be a part of Laurent Blanc's France squad for Euro 2012.
His closest rival in the goalscoring standings -- five goals off his pace -- is PSG's Nene, who has described Giroud as "the best striker in Ligue 1".
Asked about the key to beating Montpellier, the Brazilian was similarly generous in his assessment of the threat posed by the strapping left-footer: "We'll have to really play together and make sure the ball doesn't get to Giroud."
Hailing from the Savoy town of Chambery, Giroud took his formative steps at nearby Grenoble but it was with second-tier Tours that his career took flight.
His early performances in the 2009-10 campaign convinced Montpellier to pay two million euros ($2.6m) to secure his services in January 2010 and after being loaned back to Tours, he finished the campaign with 21 goals in 38 league games.
"I'm not a late developer, but I'm not a youngster any more," he said upon arriving at Montpellier in July 2010. "It's time for me to explode."
He was true to his word, opening his account with a sublime long-range goal against Hungarian side Gyor in a Europa League qualifier later that month and finishing the season in 12th place in the list of Ligue 1's top marksmen.
Last season's form earned him a one-year contract extension in May and this season he has been even better, leading the line superbly in Montpellier's 4-2-3-1 system and attracting attention from clubs across Europe.
Nicollin dismissed speculation linking him with a move to Newcastle United in January -- laughing off the Premier League side as "too small" -- but this week he admitted that Giroud was likely to leave at the end of the current season.
Giroud says he "dreams of England" but has pledged to stay put at Stade de la Mosson if Montpellier manage to hold their course and qualify for the Champions League.
Nicollin, though, knows the writing is on the wall.
"If he finishes top scorer in the championship and goes to the Euro with France, how are we going to keep him?" asked the club president.
"If he wants to join a big club and we decide it's in our interest, we can't keep him against his will."
Giroud's profile has taken on a new dimension since he made his international debut in a friendly against the United States last November, the first of two caps to date.
His height and aerial prowess appear custom-made for the English Premier League, but he is also a clear-headed and innovative finisher, as well as a team player with an eye for a pass.
Only Moroccan team-mate Younes Belhanda has created as many goalscoring chances for Montpellier as Giroud (37) this term, and no other Ligue 1 striker can match his tally of six assists.
His impact has not gone unnoticed in the club shop either.
"We call it the 'Giroudstore'," Montpellier marketing director Benoit Le Quere told Friday's edition of L'Equipe. "Out of every 100 replica shirts sold, 85 have names on the back. And of those, 75 have got Olivier's name."
With PSG only a point clear of Rene Girard's side at the top of the table, Montpellier's number 17 is likely to find himself a marked man at Parc des Princes on Sunday.
Source: AFP
