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Arsenal in talks with rivals over controversial £35m deal

By on August 14, 2017

alex-oxlade-chamberlain arsenal

According to the Evening Standard, Arsenal are in talks with Chelsea over the sale of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and the Blues are confident of getting a £35m deal agreed this month.

Oxlade-Chamberlain is in the final year of his contract at the Emirates and so far we’ve been unable to agree terms with his representatives over an extension.

This has led to speculation suggesting that the 23-year-old could leave this summer with Chelsea and Liverpool the two clubs most strongly linked with a swoop.

It seems the Premier League champions have now made their move as the Evening Standard claim Chelsea are locked in negotiations with Arsenal over a possible deal.

The newspaper says that while no fee has been agreed as yet, our London rivals have received enough encouragement from Arsenal’s end to believe that a £35m deal will be agreed soon.

Antonio Conte is desperate to strengthen his squad before the transfer window closes and the Evening Standard claim he’s promised Oxlade-Chamberlain a starting role in the right wing-back position if he moves to Stamford Bridge.

The England international has struggled to nail down a regular spot at Arsenal with The Ox deployed in several positions by Wenger over the past few years including both wings, central midfield, right wing-back while he started at left wing-back against Leicester on Friday.

With a World Cup coming up next summer, no doubt Oxlade-Chamberlain is desperate to hold down a regular place in a fixed position and it appears Chelsea are willing to offer him something Wenger can’t.

Let’s be honest, The Ox isn’t first choice in our starting eleven as Bellerin and Kolasinac are the wing-backs with Ramsey alongside Xhaka in midfield, so you can appreciate his concerns.

No doubt he’ll still get plenty of game-time as Arsenal always have injury worries to contend with but a player likes the feeling that he’s first choice no matter who’s injured or suspended.

READ: Arsenal ready to hijack Tottenham’s £35m deal

The £35m fee being touted sounds reasonable considering Oxlade-Chamberlain has less than 12 months on his deal, however, I think it would be madness for Arsenal to sell to Chelsea as we’d be strengthening a direct title rival.

Plus, Chelsea are scum and I wouldn’t sell then Carl Jenkinson never mind a player with the talent and potential of Oxlade-Chamberlain so it would be a hugely controversial decision if Arsenal did do business with them.

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