Chelsea closing in on £35m deal for Arsenal and England winger Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
Soccer Football - Chelsea vs Arsenal - FA Community Shield - London, Britain - August 6, 2017 Arsenal's Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain reacts after scoring a penalty during a penalty shootout Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge
Chelsea are reportedly confident of making England international forward Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain their fifth summer signing, according to the Evening Standard.
The defending Premier League champions, who surprisingly lost 3-2 at home to Burnley in their 2017-18 top-flight opener on Saturday, have been strongly linked with luring the Arsenal winger to Stamford Bridge before the close of the transfer window at the end of this month.
The 24-year-old, who is celebrating his birthday today, played the full 90 minutes in The Gunners’ thrilling 4-3 home win over Leicester City at the Emirates Stadium on Friday night.
Oxlade-Chamberlain, who has 27 international caps for The Three Lions, scored six goals and provided 11 assists in 45 appearances in all competitions for Arsene Wenger’s side last season, who finished fifth in the league standings.
Arsenal’s Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
However, with the winger entering the final year of his existing deal at Arsenal, the report suggests Chelsea are increasingly confident of securing the Englishman’s services for around £35m.
Oxlade-Chamberlain arrived at the Emirates Stadium back in 2011 following his move from Premier League rivals Southampton in a deal worth up to £15m, and has since netted 20 times in almost 200 games for Arsenal, winning three FA Cups and three FA Community Shields respectively.