Alex Oxlade Chamberlain’s Arsenals career hasn’t really picked off since his high-profile transfer from Southampton in 2011. He took the huge step up of joining Arsenal at the tender age of 18. Who wouldn’t? Given Arsene’s liking for young talent and the massive trust he places on their shoulders; it either ripens them into a diamond, or they crumble under pressure and fade out.
To his credit, he has managed to keep his consistency for all these years. Last season saw him play 43 games across all competitions, contributing directly to 13 goals. He also created at least one goal-scoring chance per game. Just 22 of those were starts though, which shows he’s clearly struggling to bag a regular place in the Arsenal XI.
Currently into his last season of his contract with the Londoners, should he stay or leave for regular football?
More importantly, can Arsenal afford to offload the mercurial Englishman?
Option 1: Sell him off to Chelsea
Looking at things from Arsene’s perspective; Chelsea are offering in excess of £35 million for acquiring his services.
If I were Arsene, I would be beaming at the possibility of his sale. Though he is highly regarded and possesses oodles of talent, I would be selling a squad player who does not make my Starting XI for a lump sum amount. Another factor that could drive me towards his sale is the fact that he has just one year left on his contract. It’s better to sell him for a value than let him go on a free, isn’t it?
The fact that Wenger has experimented with Oxlade-Chamberlain in a variety of positions goes to show that he’s just merely there to fill the gaps and that he has no plans of including him in the squad.
Read: Coutinho to go on a strike in order to move out of Liverpool.
Option 2: Keep him at Arsenal
Imagine this scenario. You have invested a huge amount of money on a prospect, with a guarantee that you will get able returns later on. After working on the prospect for 6 years, while still relatively young; will you risk losing him to see him peak at some other club?
The numbers don’t lie. Oxlade-Chamberlain has been a more than able squad player as his contributions almost demand a starting spot in any team. Aged just 23, he still has a few years before he peaks. Arsenal have harboured his progress for this long, why not wait for a few more years and reap the benefits?
Verdict:
Given Arsenal’s alarming lack of depth, and with such a short time left for the transfer window to close. Arsenal can take the risk of keeping him in the club and convincing him to sign a contract. Maybe this is the season he performs above expectations and proves his critics wrong?
Nonetheless, letting him go will be a big mistake.
