Arsenal: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has no reason not to sign new deal

Arsenal sound like they will be heading into crucial contract talks with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, but there isn’t a lot of optimism. Which is odd, as he has no reason not to want to stay.

With Alexis Sanchez’s contract essentially written off as a lost cause and Mesut Ozil’s not a big concern, Arsenal‘s primary concern right now seems to be signing Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. The Englishman is in the same boat, needing a new deal lest he walk for free next summer.

Oxlade-Chamberlain has spent about six years trying to establish himself with the Gunners. Like his fellow Englishmen Theo Walcott and Jack Wilshere however, it has been tough to do thanks in part to injuries. Any time he started to get a little traction in the first team, he’d be struck down with a new nagging injury.

Couple that with the inconsistencies that inevitably stem from developing naturally, and it makes sense why he has been unable to establish himself.

Not just that but he has always wanted to play in the midfield, not on the wings where he is being used, but unfortunately for him, Arsene Wenger has a surplus of midfielders more time than not. Even though he doesn’t at the moment, which is rather odd.

Now, things are different. Oxlade-Chamberlain is one, if not the, best wingbacks in the Premier League as he has really come into his element since hunkering down at the position. He uses his strength and speed to utter perfection as he rampages up and down whatever flank he happens to be on.

This is what he would be doing as a midfielder. Because he essentially is a midfielder by a different title. He has more freedom here to do as he pleases and it really allows him the creativity to express himself as a creator.

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Which is why I find it odd that there isn’t a lot of belief that he is going to sign a new deal. Oxlade-Chamberlain has everything he could possibly want here with the Gunners and he had to work damn hard to get here.

He has the position he wants, he has the skill level that he wants. I am knocking on wood as I say this last one – he also has the health that he wants.

The only things that could get in the way are wages or Champions League. The latter doesn’t really jive with me because of the length of time he has spent with Arsenal and the numerous amounts of Champions League competitions they have been in.

And while he is certainly in line for a raise, which the club would undoubtedly be prepared to give him, he doesn’t strike me as the “I want to be the highest paid player on the team” kind of guy.

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So what I’m asking is, why wouldn’t the Ox want to stay? What doesn’t he have here that he is so confident he could find elsewhere? This is a legitimate question. If you have answers, @ me.

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