Arsene Wenger has moved to cool reports linking Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain with a move away from the Emirates after insisting he wants the winger to sign a new deal with the club.
Oxlade-Chamberlain has entered the last two years of his existing deal with Arsenal and it emerged on Monday morning that the club are yet to begin talks with the England international about fresh terms.
The 23-year-old has struggled for consistency since joining from Southampton as a 17-year-old in 2011 and there had been suggestions leaving Arsenal in the summer would have been in Oxlade-Chamberlains best interests.
However, despite the fact he is still looking to nail down a regular place in Arsene Wenger’s starting XI, performances have been much better from Oxlade-Chamberlain this season and the Arsenal boss wants him to stay at the club beyond his existing terms.
“I want Oxlade-Chamberlain to stay at the club,” talkSPORT quote Wenger as saying in his pre-match press conference ahead of their midweek league match against Everton.
“He is making steps forward and overall I want him to stay. He’s developing very well. This season he’s making steps, moving forward.
“Overall when you’ve invested so much time and work, the player loves it here, he’s integrated, I want him to stay.”
In just 13 Premier League appearances Oxlade-Chamberlain has already registered as many assists as he managed in his three previous campaigns combined (4), while he has already scored as many goals as he had managed in his last two seasons combined (2).
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