Arsenal: 4 reasons for Calum Chambers contract extension

Deciding who gets to stay and who needs to leave is, on the surface, an easy decision. Supporters can count on one hand which players deserve to extend their stays at Arsenal beyond the summer transfer window. It isn’t quite as easy as that for the club.

In an ideal world, all bar seven or eight players in the squad would be sold or moved on in some capacity, with an entire new squad brought in to replace them. More of a new build as opposed to a rebuild.

Obviously far beyond the Gunners’ financial means and impossible in terms of finding buyers for these players and encouraging higher quality replacements to come in, the approach will have to be more measured.

There is still going to be a substantial overhaul with those leaving more than capable of being in the double figures. The word ‘unprecedented’ and ‘ruthless’ has been mentioned, with Arsenal set for a major facelift across their entire squad.

Arsenal: 4 reasons for Calum Chambers contract extension ahead of summer transfer window

In between the sticks and all the way up to centre-forward there will be wholesale change, while the full-back areas are also in line for serious reconstruction with all three of the right-backs on the books potentially leaving in the coming window.

Selling all three in that department is what many supporters would prefer, yet it adds additional layers of work onto an already stacked to-do list.

Thus, as per football.london, Arsenal are set to hand Calum Chambers a contract extension with his deal due to expire 12 months from now. Having suffered a serious long-term injury and battled his way back to fitness, he’s become a regular feature in the side, usurping Cedric Soares and Hector Bellerin in the pecking order.

A player seemingly destined for the exit door, a turnaround could be expected. Is it the right decision, though? Here are four reasons why it could be a smart move from Arsenal.

Calum Chambers is the Best Right-Back at the Club

Being the best does not mean Chambers is in any way exceptional, only that across the three options he has wrestled his way to the top of the pecking order. He deserves immense credit for managing to do so during such a torrid season for the 26-year-old, who only made his return from injury in the latter stages of the Europa League group stages.

Some impressive performances in that position saw him incorporate his versatility, with some of the systems allowing him to tuck into midfield where had played previously with Fulham.

His deliveries have garnered praise from onlookers, with some of his crossing since breaking into the side particularly enjoyable.

Chambers is not perfect, far from it, nor is he the solution to Arsenal’s woes in that position long-term. If the club were deciding to instill him as the first choice right-back then it would show little in the way of ambition.

Looking at the situation now, however, he’s the better option of the three and selling two of them, even if Cedric would be very hard to shift, is the most viable decision with so much else to contend with.

Calum Chambers Fits the Homegrown Quota for Arsenal

As it stands, Arsenal have 21 non-homegrown players, including players currently away on loan. The limit is 17, with the club bypassing this by sending Matteo Guendouzi, Dinos Mavropanos, Sead Kolasinac and Lucas Torreira out on loan at the beginning of the season. William Saliba joined them in January but will class as homegrown next season.

Mat Ryan, Dani Ceballos and Martin Odegaard’s loan spells ending will bring that back down, as will the inevitable sales of Guendouzi, Kolasinac, Torreira and potentially Mavropanos.

However, with almost all of the current homegrown group of Reiss Nelson, Eddie Nketiah, Bellerin, Ainsley Maitland-Niles and possibly Joe Willock heavily linked with moves away, there will be a fine balance to strike.

Arsenal will need homegrown players to meet that quota and even if it’s simply as a squad option they can ill-afford to let so many leave without similar replacements sounded out. Equally, the ‘English tax’ on players will force clubs like Arsenal to acquire players from abroad for cheaper prices.

Of course, there will be some promotion from the academy with Miguel Azeez and Folarin Balogun becoming parts of the first team squad, but Chambers is one of few who may be left to help satisfy the quota.

Calum Chambers’ Versatility Is Welcome

Taking a look at Ainsley Maitland-Niles, the clubs eager for his signature won’t be doing so on the sole premise of him being a central midfielder and nothing but a central midfielder. While some of the clubs interested see that as his preferred role, each side interested will add his versatility across the pitch among their reasons for wanting him.

It’s a valuable commodity in football that can essentially prevent managers from signing two players.

Chambers can do three roles in the team – right-back, centre-back and holding midfield – which for Arsenal adds great value to the squad.

If the club were in the Champions League then this conversation wouldn’t be happening at all and a better quality option would be sought out, yet with just the Premier League to truly focus on and cup competitions, Chambers would prove a reliable, if not spectacular, rotational option. Every squad needs someone who can fill in for more than one position.

We’re yet to see Chambers come into midfield at Arsenal as he had done at Craven Cottage, although it’s something the club may be forced to consider if they’re unable to acquire all the midfield targets they’re after until January at least.

Protecting Chambers’ Value

Chambers’ stock is rising. Few expected him to return from injury and play the number of minutes he had, especially after Bellerin had briefly gone through a solid patch of form and Cedric Soares impressed when given his chance in the position.

It’s credit to his metal resilience, and this spell in the side has attracted the attentions of fellow Premier League clubs. Being English and versatile, as well as a solid squad option, is attractive to buying sides.

With 12 months left on his deal Arsenal could garner a decent enough fee this window. It certainly won’t be the £16m they paid for him back in 2014, but it would still aid the process of building to come.

However, if he’s tied down to a new deal, one we don’t know the extent of but can estimate may possibly be for another two years, then next summer when clubs will have been able to welcome fans back and hopefully go some way towards a healthier financial outlook, his value will have increased. It certainly won’t have decreased even if he’s fleetingly used this season.

It’s a similar situation with Rob Holding who is hugely limited in his skillset but nonetheless a squad option who could attract other clubs to move in further down the line. Dishing out a new contract isn’t always cementing the player’s place in the starting lineup, it’s about protecting your asset.