Olivier Giroud Factfile

1999: Joins first professional team, Grenoble, aged 13.

2005: Signs first professional contract at Grenoble aged 19, scoring 15 goals in 15 matches for the reserves and earning a call-up to the first team.

2006: Makes his debut in March, coming off the bench in a 1-1 draw with Gueugnon. Made a full member of the first team squad and assigned the number 22 shirt for the 2006/07 campaign.

2007: After a slow start scores his first goal for the club in February with an injury time winner against Le Havre.

Spends the 2007/08 season on loan at French third division side Istres scoring 14 goals in the campaign.

2008: Returns to parent club Grenoble only to be placed on the transfer list. Joins Ligue 2 side Tours FC in May, netting 14 goals in 27 appearances.

2010: Signs for Ligue 1 club Montpellier in January on a three-and-a-half-year deal for a fee of $2.5 million. Loaned back to Tours for the remainder of the season, finishing up the league's top goalscorer and named in the league's team of the year.

July - Makes his club and European debut, scoring the only goal in a 1-0 win over Hungarian side Gyori ETO in the Europa League. Montpellier goes on to lose the tie on penalties in the second leg.

2011: Scores the winner in the 117th minute of the Coupe de la Ligue semi-final against Paris Saint-Germain to send Montpellier through to its first major final since 1994.

Finishes the club's top goalscorer and rewarded with a contract extension until 2014 and a call-up to the national team in November for friendly matches against the United States and Belgium.

2012: February - Scores his first international goal in a 2-1 friendly win over Germany. Scored 21 goals for Montpellier as it wins the Ligue 1 title.

June 26 - Arsenal announces agreement has been reached with the player over a long-term contract.