Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain frustrated that he has still not been offered new Arsenal deal Jeremy Wilson, deputy football correspondent
17 JUNE 2017 • 6:24PM
Progress between Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Arsenal over a new contract has suddenly faltered after the England winger became frustrated that he has still not been offered a new deal. There were positive preliminary talks soon after the season ended but, with Oxlade-Chamberlain now on holiday, no formal offer has been made. Manager Arsene Wenger has talked frequently about the important need to keep Oxlade-Chamberlain and a deal worth more than £100,000-a-week was expected to be agreed quickly after the season ended but he is now in the final year of his contract and increasingly uncertain about the next step.
Liverpool are interested and, with Oxlade-Chamberlain having finished his Arsenal season strongly in the wing-back position, he still regards central midfield as his ideal future role.Liverpool would be willing to play him in the centre but there is deeper competition at Arsenal, with Granit Xhaka and Aaron Ramsey having finished the season in those two positions and Mohamed Elneny and Francis Coquelin also pushing for more game time.
Jack Wilshere is also now back - although recovering from an ankle injury and facing an even more uncertain future - while Santi Cazorla is currently also sidelined.
Arsenal are facing a series of major decision with their contracts this summer. Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil have one year left on their respective deals and have still not agreed new contracts, with Sanchez most likely to join Bayern Munich or Manchester City.
Ozil certainly appears to have less options but could still run down his contract, while Arsenal must also decide whether to go though with the possible sales of Wojciech Szczesny and Kieran Gibbs, who are both in their last year.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2017/06/17/alex-oxlade-chamberlain-frustrated-still-offered-new-arsenal/
