Alexis Sanchez continues to be at the front of the line when it comes to the Arsenal transfer rumours, with speculation continuing to grow that suggests he will look to leave the Emirates this summer.
The Alexis saga is going to carry on for quite some time, however he isn’t the only name who could be looking for a move away come the end of the season. Lucas Perez was linked with a move away from Arsenal yesterday, and it’s Alex Oxlade Chamberlain who is in the papers today over a speculated move away. It now means that should all of the media’s claims come true (what’s the likelihood) that Arsenal are set to face big changes on their forward line come the end of the campaign.
The Mirror is reporting this morning that Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho is looking to lock horns with Arsene Wenger once again. This time not on the pitch, but instead in transfer negotiations over Alex Oxlade Chamberlain. United are being linked with a £30 million move for the midfielder, who according to the paper, isn’t having the best of times at Arsenal.
It’s fair to say that the Ox’s Arsenal career perhaps hasn’t gone quite as planned and he’s failed to progress as much as most would’ve imagined. Much like his compatriot and club colleague Theo Walcott, Chamberlain joined the club from Southampton at a young age, for a relatively large fee, boasting plenty of expectation. Now after 6 seasons with the club, the Ox hasn’t quite achieved what is expected and this has apparently led to Wenger and co anticipating whether they should let the Englishman leave.
There were rumours in the summer that the club was considering sending Chamberlain out on loan, but it was Campbell that got the boot away from the Emirates instead. Chamberlain has stated in the past that he is happy at Arsenal, but if he isn’t getting the minutes that he desires, then he would have to consider a move away.
The Ox has impressive recently in a role in the centre of midfield. It’s a position he’s played in drips and drabs in recent years, with Wenger instead preferring to play the 23 year old out on the wing. However we’ve seen as fans that Ox performs much better playing centre of the part, allowing the midfield to have a lot more pace and control, as well as being even more dynamic in playing style and passing. A few good games certainly isn’t enough to convince everyone that the Ox definitely has a future at the Emirates, but I think it would be fair to say that he should at least be given a good opportunity to show us what he’s got in his preferred position, before deciding whether he is going to stay or go.
By AH