Having splashed out a reported £12m for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain last year, it would be fair to say that expectations were certainly high for the young winger. Fortunately, he has more than lived up to his hefty price tag and following a successful start to his Gunners career, the former Southampton man has already said that he wants to extend his stay at the Emirates Stadium and agree a new contract.
Oxlade-Chamberlain rose to fame as a 17-year-old for Saints and he quickly became one of the most feared wingers in League One. His potential was obvious from the outset and after watching him on several occasions, Arsene Wenger quickly put together a package to bring the player to North London. Following the move, ‘Ox’ has continued to develop at an incredible rate and the fact that he was included in England’s Euro 2012 squad speaks volumes about his reputation in English football.
Many also believe that the player is much more effective than Theo Walcott, who also coincidently arrived from Southampton. After making such an impression at the club, thankfully it looks as though Oxlade-Chamberlain isn’t going to perform the usual trick of looking for a move away as soon as possible. Instead, the 19-year-old claims he loves playing for the club and will happily enter discussions about a new deal. He told reporters, “That [playing for England this week] is the only thing I am concentrating on. But if Arsenal want to sit down and talk about that [contract], it is really good because I am loving my time there. I really enjoy playing for them and am planning on being there for a while.”
After missing the Gunners’ opening game against Sunderland, Oxlade-Chamberlain is now back in contention and appeared as a substitute in the goalless draw with Stoke, before then starting the 2-0 victory over Liverpool.
