Inter Milan eyeing January transfer swoop for Chelsea striker Giroud as back-up for Lukaku after ex-Man Utd ace flops in Champions League

CHELSEA striker Olivier Giroud is a reported January target for Inter Milan as a back-up for Romelu Lukaku at the San Siro.

The Blues forward has started just one Premier League match this season, with Frank Lampard preferring academy graduate Tammy Abraham to lead the line.

AP:Associated Press

Lukaku has impressed in Serie A since joining from Manchester United – netting twice in three top-flight appearances.

But he was guilty of a below-par performance in the 1-1 draw against Slavia Prague in the Champions League on Tuesday, with Gazzetta Dello Sport naming him as the worst player on the pitch.

As a result, Calciomercato have claimed that the Nerazzurri are already reassessing their options up top with four players being considered by the Italian giants.

They could look to lure Kevin Lasagna and Andrea Petagna away from Udinese and SPAL respectively, but the report states that it will be difficult to land either player.

Real Madrid forward Luka Jovic – signed from Eintracht Frankfurt in the summer – could be the subject of a loan bid.

While Inter are also weighing up a move for World Cup winner Giroud – who could be tempted to leave West London should he continue to play second fiddle to Abraham.

Giroud is seen as a cheap option for the 2010 Champions League winners with the 32-year-old available on a free transfer in the summer.

Should the former Arsenal star make the move to join Inter, he will link up with Antonio Conte once again – with the Italian signing him for Chelsea from the Gunners in January 2018.

Giroud has already warned boss Lampard that he is not happy about his role in the Blues squad.

And he admitted earlier this month that he would be open to playing in the MLS.