With the recent speculation regarding Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain joining Southampton in the summer, I have decided to take a look at whether it would be a good signing.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
Position: Winger
Age: 22
Height: 5 ft 11 in
Nationality: English
Favourite foot: Right
Club: Arsenal (Premier League)
Analysis:
This is an odd one. Oxlade-Chamberlain started his career at Southampton. He joined the club’s youth system at the age of just seven and spent the next 11 years at Southampton.
The ‘Ox’ made his senior debut for the Saints at just 16-years-old when he came off the bench in a match against Huddersfield back in 2010. He went on to make 43 appearances for Southampton, scoring ten goals for the first-team in all competitions.
Then came about his big move. Oxlade-Chamberlain joined Arsenal at just 17-years-old for a reported fee of up to £15m with add-ons. At the time, it was thought that he made the move under advisement from his father, who thought it was the right time to make such a big step in the young player’s career.
Since joining the Gunners, Oxlade-Chamberlain has featured 149 times for Arsenal and scored 14 goals for the club. He also became the Champions League youngest ever English goalscorer when he scored against Olympiacos just over a month after turning 18 back in 2011. He has also amassed 24 caps for England, scoring five goals in the process.
Oxlade-Chamberlain impressed in his first few seasons at Arsenal, and for England. However, in the last couple of seasons, he has struggled for fitness and form. This has led to speculation that he could be on the move in the summer, with Arsene Wenger looking to spend big to mount a title challenge next season.
Any potential move for Oxlade-Chamberlain could depend on the future of Sadio Mane. The mercurial winger has been touted with a move to a number of big clubs, including the likes of Bayern Munich and Manchester City, in the summer.
If Sadio Mane does stay at the club then Oxlade-Chamberlain may not be as high on Ronald Koeman’s shopping list. However, if the Senegal international does indeed leave to pastures new then Oxlade-Chamberlain could well be on the very top of Koeman’s list.
But, if Mane was to leave, would Oxlade-Chamberlain be a good signing/replacement. In my opinion, yes.
I have always rated Oxlade-Chamberlain. He may have a few minor injury troubles and lack consistency, but he is still just 22-years-old and is familiar with the club. The fans would surely welcome him back with open arms and it would be far easier for him to settle in at the club, as opposed to signing a foreign winger who would be adjusting the English game and culture.
Oxlade-Chamberlain is a direct winger, someone who likes to take players on and commit defenders, which is what Mane also likes to. He would certainly come with a high pedigree from Arsenal and may even thrive being one of the better players in the side, compared to being shadowed by the plethora of stars that Arsenal have in their ranks.
Fans may be very upset if Mane does decide to move on in the summer, however, I have full faith that he would soon be forgotten if Oxlade-Chamberlain was the man to replace him. I really do think that Koeman would be able to extract the best out of the England international and help him fulfil the potential that we all know he has.
What do you make of the potential signing, would he be a good addition to the side?
