Maldini confirms Giroud is close to joining AC Milan from Chelsea

AC Milan director Paolo Maldini has confirmed Olivier Giroud is close to joining the Serie A side from Chelsea.

The France international has spent the past three and a half years at Stamford Bridge and recently had a 12-month extension in his contract triggered by the Blues.

Giroud was restricted to just 12 starts in all competitions last season, yet he still finished as Chelsea's top scorer in their Champions League-winning campaign with six goals, and only Timo Werner and Tammy Abraham (both 12) scored more goals across all competitions.

Milan are reported to have agreed a €3million (£2.56m) fee with Chelsea, offering Giroud, who represented France at Euro 2020, a two-year deal.

"Olivier should arrive tomorrow," Maldini told DAZN on Wednesday. "Olivier is a champion. He's done great things with France and Chelsea.

"He is a very reliable player and that's what we are looking for, as we have the youngest squad in Serie A, so we need some with more experience."

Giroud will become the second player to make the switch from Milan to Chelsea this window after the Italian giants took up the option to make Fikayo Tomori's loan deal permanent.

The 34-year-old is expected to lead the line for Stefano Pioli's side in the absence of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who is recovering from a knee injury which ruled him out of Euro 2020.

Goalkeeper Mike Maignan has also joined from Ligue 1 champions Lille as a replacement for Gianluigi Donnarumma, who has signed for Paris Saint-Germain.

After spending last season on loan at Milan, Sandro Tonali also arrived on a permanent deal from Brescia earlier this month.

The Rossoneri did lose playmaker Hakan Calhanoglu to rivals Inter, though they are reportedly close to striking a deal with CSKA Moscow for Croatia international Nikola Vlasic, while Everton's James Rodriguez has also been linked.

Milan finished as runners-up in Serie A and will begin the new campaign away at Sampdoria on the week ending August 22.