What’s next for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain if he has decided to stay at Arsenal?

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Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is ready to resist interest from other Premier League clubs and decide to stay at Arsenal this summer. The Mirror report that the Gunners are confident that the 23-year-old is going to reject the opportunity to move in order to extend his stay at the Emirates Stadium. This comes days after Arsene Wenger has signed a contract extension at the club and supporters will be hoping that other notable key players follow during the coming days. This was an important summer for the midfielder as he is approaching the peak years of his career and it is great news for Arsenal that they have secured him for that period.

This season was one of progression for the 23-year-old as he played over 600 minutes more than he managed in the previous campaign. Meanwhile, his contribution of two goals and seven assists was a significant improvement, suggesting that he is now a more intelligent player in the final third. In terms of his statistical contribution in attack, his average of chances created (1.83 to 1.77) and attempted shots (2.21 to 1.6) per ninety minutes has decreased across the last two seasons. Although, that does suggest that the quality of chances that he creates has improved as his goals and assists have increased.

It has been clear that with regular first team football, Oxlade-Chamberlain’s confidence on the pitch has increased and he is a more dangerous player as a result. There have been times during the recent campaign where he has been the best player in a Gunners’ shirt. He deserves praise for his character as he was one of the few to come out of the team’s difficult run of form with any credit. After the humiliation away to Bayern Munich, there were pictures of the midfielder on his own applauding the travelling support. It is moments like this that made him a crucial part of the first team, as Arsenal have few characters like him in the squad.

The next challenge for Oxlade-Chamberlain will be to nail down a regular place in the starting eleven. His versatility is one of his biggest strength, but it has held him back in recent years. The England international wants to play in central midfield, but Arsene Wenger prefers him as a wide player. He has been used on both flanks and more recently as a wing-back. It is important that Wenger gives him one position to focus on as this will allow him to gain the skills to become a leading Premier League player in that area of the pitch. At the age of 23, he can’t be seen as a jack of all trades anymore. He must become the master of one.

Although Arsenal will be judged on their recruitment this summer, they also need to sort out the futures of their existing players, as too many players have contracts that are reaching a precarious point. This won’t be the most exciting piece of news to come out of the club over the coming months, but it could be one of the most important. Oxlade-Chamberlain is one of the best English talents in the Premier League and he has the potential to improve over the next couple of seasons. Wenger needs to make him a central part of the team and give him the game time that he needs to become a leading player in the division.

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