Giroud 'very frustrated' with Chelsea back-up role

Olivier Giroud is not shying away from feeling "very frustrated" about playing back-up at Chelsea and demanded a more important role if he stays.

Giroud arrived at Chelsea from Arsenal in January 2017, but he has since gone on to make just 13 Premier League starts for the Stamford Bridge club.

He initially found himself playing second fiddle to Alvaro Morata, and although the Spaniard departed earlier this year, Gonzalo Higuain was brought in and Giroud has remained a peripheral figure despite the Argentinian failing to impress.

Giroud was a part of the France team which won the 2018 World Cup and he is adamant he is deserving of a bigger part at Chelsea.

Speaking ahead of Thursday's Europa League quarter-final second leg against Slavia Prague, Giroud said: "Trust me, I am very frustrated when I am not on the pitch, but I don't want to show it.

"You need to keep that frustration and transform it into positive energy. Trust me, I'm not happy to play the second role.

"Next year I will need to have a more important role to play. The most important thing for me is to be happy on the pitch, to enjoy the game and to have more minutes.

"I'm a competitor. I really want to play more. The thing is, I just want to enjoy it, because I'm 32 and I've won the World Cup, but I want to retire satisfied."

Giroud also accepts the uncertainty surrounding Chelsea's transfer ban is not helping produce clarity over his future.

FIFA handed down a two-window transfer embargo relating to the purchases of players under the age of 18, but they have appealed and could yet take the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

"I have to meet Marina [Granovskaia, club director], but obviously I might be here [next season]," Giroud said. "I don't know, I have no clue about that now, but before the end of the season [he wants clarity].

"Obviously we still don't know if the club will have the opportunity to sign players or not.

"Maybe it's a bit confusing now. There is no reason that they are not going to give me one more year, but I need to be happy as well."