Oxlade-Chamberlain turns down Arsenal mega-deal

Chelsea and Liverpool have been put on high alert after it emerge that Arsenal’s midfielder Alex-Oxlade Chamberlain has turned down a whooping £180k a week offer to stay at the Emirates, according to Sky Sources.

According to Sky Sports on its transfer blog – Friday, 1,01pm – it claimed Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger held talks with Oxlade-Chamberlain yesterday in a bid to get him to stay but it looks like it was in vain.

Sky Sports News have also said that the Gunners will inform the England international in the next 24 hours whether he can leave the Emirates summer transfer window.

The alternative would be for him to see his contract out at the north London club and leave on a free transfer.

His current deal runs out next summer – as do the contracts of other Arsenal stars Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil.

Sky report that the Blues and Premier League rivals Liverpool will be waiting to pounce and will offer more than the £30million Chelsea already offered for the player earlier in the summer.

Oxlade-Chamberlain has registered 197 appearances for the north London club and has nail 27 appearances for England.

Football Weeks considers whether a move to sign the England attacker is a good one and whether a deal is likely to happen.

Good move for Chelsea?

The jury’s out on this one. The England international has cajoled to deceive in Arsenal colours over the past few seasons. For so long see as the next big hope at the Emirates, he has never delivered consistently. Wenger has put him a new wing-back role this season and it looks like that could be the position for him going forward. Blues manager Antonio Conte obviously rates him but we don’t think the Gunners supporters will mind too much if they get £35-£40million for him. If Wenger dips into the transfer market to replace him, of course.

Likely to happen?

Probably not. Wenger has played hard-ball with his wantaway stars this summer and would rather they played their contracts out rather then left to strengthen their rivals. Arsenal fans will be upset the star wants to leave, but they won’t want him going to Chelsea or Liverpool. However, Sky say Wenger will let the player and his agent know in 24 hours whether he can leave or not, and that might signify him working on an immediate replacement. If that’s the case, then the player could well set sail for pastures new.