3 reasons Chelsea should sign Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain

The Ox would be a great addition for the Blues

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has insisted that Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will stay at the club this summer, but the winger’s future remains uncertain. He only has a year left on his contract and reportedly doesn’t want to sign a new deal. With Chelsea understood to be planning a £35m bid, it could be tempting to sell now rather than lose him for nothing next summer.

After selling or loaning out so many players this summer, Chelsea have started this season with a weaker squad than they had last term.

The champions are expected to be active in the last week of the transfer window and the Coral News team have taken a look at why Oxlade-Chamberlain could be a key addition.

Versatility

Chelsea managed to stay relatively injury free last season, but now they’re back in the Champions League, they need a squad that’s big enough to cope.

They currently lack cover for Marcos Alonso and Victor Moses in both wing-back positions. Oxlade-Chamberlain can operate on both flanks. He’s more comfortable on the right, where he’s arguably an upgrade on Moses.

The England international can also perform in central midfield and his desire to play there regularly is one of the reasons he’s hesitant to sign a new deal at the Emirates Stadium.

Antonio Conte can call on N’Golo Kante, Tiemoue Bakayoko and Cesc Fabregas in the heart of midfield. David Luiz can fill in too, but Oxlade-Chamberlain would be a very useful option to have.

Penetration

Conte largely used Cesc Fabregas as a substitute last season, and the signing of Bakayoko means that’s likely to continue. A midfield partnership of Bakayoko and Kante would be incredibly strong defensively, but it doesn’t offer much going forward.

If Fabregas doesn’t play, there’s a huge creative burden on Eden Hazard in the final third. The brilliant winger is good enough to carry that responsibility, but Chelsea would be a better side with multiple threats.

Oxlade-Chamberlain’s speed and power allows him to breeze past opponents. He’s completed 15 take ons in the Premier League already this season, almost twice as many as anyone else, and he can carry the ball up the pitch to areas where players can Hazard can cause most damage.

Homegrown Status

John Terry, Asmir Begovic, Nathaniel Chalobah, Nathan Ake and Ruben Loftus Cheek have all left Stamford Bridge this summer, which means the Blues are short of homegrown players for their Premier League and Champions League squads.

Chelsea can register 17 “non-homegrown” players in their 25-man squad, with the final eight places reserved for those who developed at an English club. Gary Cahill, Fabregas and Moses are the only senior players who currently meet the homegrown criteria.

As well as being an exciting player on the pitch, Oxlade-Chamberlain would also help to address that shortfall in their squad makeup.

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