Alan Smith sends Oxlade-Chamberlain warning about leaving Arsenal
Chelsea are increasingly confident they will be able to secure the services of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain before the end of the summer transfer window.
The Arsenal ace has already turned down a new deal worth £100,000 a week and is rapidly attracting interest from Premier League rivals.
The 24-year-old sat down with Arsenal chiefs for a round of talks with the club keen to renew the players' contract which runs out at the end of the season, along with teammates Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil.
Speaking to talkSPORT, former Gunners star Alan Smith warned the player about moving to Chelsea as he would not be able to secure the position where he wants to play.
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Chelsea target Oxlade-Chamberlain was warned about leaving Arsenal
He said: “[Oxlade-Chamberlain] wants to play in the middle, so that’s probably the nub of the problem.
“He’s been playing wing-back and only occasionally in the middle, but Arsenal have got plenty of players for those central spots – Xhaka, Ramsey, Elneny for those central pots so there won’t be too many occasions that he’d play there.
“But if he were to go to Chelsea, who knows? He could end up playing wing-back.”
Smith insisted that the “versatility” of Oxlade-Chamberlain makes him so attractive to other clubs.
Steve Nicol says no reason for Chamberlain to leave Arsenal
But if he were to go to Chelsea, who knows? He could end up playing wing-back
Alan Smith
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“It’s his versatility that makes him an attractive signing, that’s why Chelsea want him, that and he’s young and he’s very talented,” he added.
“He’s served his time at Arsenal and Wenger feels they’ve invested a lot of time and money in him that he should stay, but football doesn’t work like that.
“It would be a shame if he left the Emirates because he’s got a lot of ability and he can play in a number of positions, so you wouldn’t want to lose him.”
Chelsea are rumored to be preparing to pay up to £35million to land the England international.
When quizzed about the club's meeting with Oxlade-Chamberlain, Wenger said: “We all have our agendas that are quite busy but we do not publish them.
“Some people look better informed than I am! My secretary has my agenda, I will check what I have to do today.”
Liverpool are also in the hunt for Oxlade-Chamberlain, as Arsenal travel to face Jurgen Klopp's side at Anfield (4pm) on Saturday.
