Olivier Giroud should extend his stay in Chelsea despite the lack of playing time | Soccer

Maurizio Sarri expects Chelsea to take a one – year option on Olivier Giroud 's contract, after being encouraged by the desire of the French striker to stay at Stamford Bridge.

Giroud, who signed a £ 18 million contract with Arsenal last season, struggled to play a match in the Premier League under Italian, even though he proved prolific in Europa League. Nobody can match his nine goals in this competition, although his midweek start against Brighton – in which he scored his second first goal of the campaign – was his first in the Premier League this year.

The World Cup winner, who is now the third-leading scorer in his country after scoring for the 35th time in 89 caps against Iceland last month, clocked 788 minutes in 24 games and, despite finding Álvaro Morata's challenge in January, the Spaniard was transferred to Atletico. He was loaned by Madrid for 18 months and was still usurped in the hierarchy by the arrival of Gonzalo Higuaín from Juventus. The boy's 18-year-old contract, which is 32 years old, expires in the summer, but the club has the option of extending it until the summer of 2020.

When asked if he wanted Giroud to stay at the club next year, Sarri replied, "Yes, of course." I know the club has an option for another season, so I think it will stay. "

The player himself suggested at the end of last year that he "would rather be in a big club than play every week in a less prestigious team." He should be on the bench in West Ham on Monday, but should start Thursday the first leg of the Europa League quarter-final against Slavia Prague.

Sarri continues to have ephemeral contacts with Roman Abramovich, whose commitment to the club remains steadfast despite the confirmation of the owner who stopped paying in advance for his commercial box at Stamford Bridge a million pounds a year . Abramovich would not have attended a Chelsea match since May 2018 after being denied a UK investor visa.

"He has some problems now, but he's involved with the club, with the team," said Sarri. "He is the owner and he can influence the technical staff, the club, the players, everything."

The Italian confirmed that Abramovich tended to talk more with Gianfranco Zola, the badistant coach of the first team, "who speaks better English."