Forget It Wenger: Selling This £35m Star To Premier League Rivals Would Be A Blunder For Arsenal

A Big No! – Three Reasons Why Arsenal Should Avoid Selling Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain To Chelsea

Having failed to qualify for the Champions League this season, Arsenal are one club that are sure to compete for the league title but not much is going right for the Gunners at the moment. They are in danger of losing their star playmaker Alexis Sanchez this summer but he is not the only player whose future at the club is in doubt.

Versatile midfielder Alex Oxlade Chamberlain is also unsettled and has not signed a new contract with the club. He is expected to quit the Emirates before the deadline day and Premier League rivals Liverpool and Chelsea are both interested in his signature.

Reports claim that the Blues are ready to make a £35m for his services, which might be too much for Arsenal to refuse but here are three reasons why the Gunners should avoid selling Ox to Chelsea at any price:

Direct Rivals

The Blues lifted the Premier League title last season, in what was Antonio Conte’s first campaign at Stamford Bridge. Arsenal failed to mount any challenge for the same last season but both clubs are expected to be in the mix of the race for the trophy this season. In such a time, Arsenal will hope that Chelsea are unable to sign their top transfer targets and providing them with one is nothing less than insanity. Arsenal are better off letting Ox leave for free next season than cashing in on him and giving Chelsea a kick-start in the race, especially after the Blues’ embarrassing opening day loss to Burnley.

Solves Immediate Problems

The 23-year old midfielder wants to quit Arsenal due to lack of playing time, which might not change too much at the Bridge. However, reports claim that Conte might use Ox as a wing-back, a position the Blues are desperate to improve. This will mean that Chelsea will use the Arsenal man as the first choice wing-back, a role he has excelled in recently, solving an impending problem at the home of the champions. Surely, Arsenal cannot allow their player to walk into the first team of a rival this late in the transfer window.

Void To Fill

Finally, the time left in the transfer window is a determinant on whether Arsenal should let Oxlade-Chamberlain leave. The versatile Englishman is a match winner on his day and will be close to impossible to replace. There are very few players who can replace his dynamism in the squad and with just over two weeks left in the transfer window, it makes no sense for Arsenal to let him leave this summer.