Danny Mills reckons Arsenal’s target, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, remains a very good player who can deliver at the Emirates if he stays fit.
Chamberlain spent much of his developmental years with the Gunners before securing a move to Liverpool in 2017.
He has won the Champions League and the Premier League with them, but he is no longer considered a regular starter at Anfield.
The Sun reported earlier that the Gunners could make a January move for him as they look to bolster their options at the Emirates.
The Englishman would provide cover for the likes of Thomas Partey and Mohamed Elneny, who may miss a few weeks of action because of their participation in the AFCON with their countries.
Not every Arsenal fan loves the idea of having him back at the Emirates, especially because of his bad luck with injuries.
Former Premier League player, Mills accepts that Chamberlain’s fitness is bad, but insists that he is a terrific player to have.
Speaking on a possible return to the Emirates for Chamberlain, Mills said to Football Insider: “There’s a romanticism about that.
“Whether going back to Arsenal would be the right move, I don’t know.
“If you can get him fit then he’s an outstanding player. The issue is he’s never fit enough for long enough.
“He’s just had a baby as well, so does he want to move right now.
“He’s a fabulous player, he’s got a lot of talent but his fitness has been his biggest problem.
“He’s had a couple of bad injuries but he hasn’t been able to get that fitness back and have a run of 10 games in a row. If he could do that, he could go to any team outside the top four in the Premier League.
“When he’s fit and firing he’s like a better version of Ross Barkley, a more athletic version of Ross Barkley.
Pertinent question…….”When he’s fit” …….
Chamberlain is stealing a living as a football player. He hs never been any better than Daniel Crowley Jon Toral or Joel Campbell but son of a former well known player private school educated and stylish looking home grown means he can be a markatable product with out actually playing let alone being a significant contributor. Starts about one in 15 games usually against easy beat teams or comes on in rubbish time when the result is already known. Scored like 3 decent goals in a ten year injury plagued career. But like the Japanes shirt seller Minamino has found a very financially rewarding comfort zone niche looking cool on the bench. Best of luck to him. Chamberlain the off field “model” certainly does not fit the young humble compliant Arteta on field model. But a new flambouant manager may run things very differently and injury prone underperformers may just be the go.
I’m still upset and have no respect for Ox with his last game for us against Liverpool away, he knew he had agreed to sign for Liverpool he then had his worst ever game for us, if I didn’t know better the way he played I would say he was playing for them in an Arsenal shirt we lost because of him that day.
Arsenal will never cease to amuse me; What is the point of selling willock then? Is Chamberlain better than him?! If you want to have a core of English players then willock fitted in and he’s also not injury prone and a young raw talent!
100%!
When we sell a guy like mavropanos 3m, we have to make profit elsewhere
Arsenal target?
I very much doubt it, and I surely hope not.
Reality shows all wise fans that a player who simply cannot remain fit is of ZERO use to any club.
Nothing else, where OX is concerned, matters a jot given the above truth!