Arsenal agree 12.8m pound deal for Giroud

London: English club Arsenal have reportedly agreed to sign highly rated French forward Olivier Giroud on a deal worth 12.8 million pounds from French champions Montpellier.

Giroud, who has two years remaining on his Montpellier contract, has agreed a 45,000 pounds-a-week four-year deal, which will almost treble his current wages of around 15,000 pounds-a-week, reports sources. The 25-year-old, who is currently playing for the national squad at the Euro 2012 is expected to confirm the deal once the tournament ends. Giroud, who scored 21 goals in Montpellier`s league triumph to end the campaign as France`s equally leading scorer with PSG`s Nene, is viewed as a replacement for out of favour Marouane Chamakh. This will be the London`s club second signing after agreeing a deal with former Cologne striker Lukas Podolski. Arsenal is also trying to secure a three-year contract extension for their captain Robin van Persie. Van Persie`s representatives have held two rounds of talks with Arsenal, when the 28-year-old said he was not ready to sign new terms. IANS