Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
THIS GUN’S FOR HIGHER
New boss hands Chambers a wage rise, extension.. and assurance that he’s a big part of his plans CALUM’S CAREER
Season 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2014- Team Southampton Southampton Arsenal Arsenal Arsenal Arsenal England Apps Goals 1 0 24 0 36 1 25 1 1 1 25 0 3 0
CALUM CHAMBERS will get the chance to nail down a spot in new Arsenal manager Unai Emery’s starting XI.
The 23-year-old defender is set to have an extra year added to his contract and see his wages increased to around £70,000 a week.
Chambers has agreed a deal keeping him at the Emirates until 2022 after being assured in talks with
Emery (right) that the Spaniard sees a big role for him in the heart of the Gunners’ defence.
Emery wants Chambers to partner imminent centre-back signing Sokratis Papastathopoulos.
The experienced Greek player, 30, is due to join Arsenal next week for around £18million from Borussia Dortmund.
Emery’s plans are a huge boost for Chambers, capped three times by England. Half of his 24 appearances last season came in the Europa League and EFL Cup – but he made only 10 Premier League starts.
Brighton, Fulham, Bournemouth and Wolves were keeping tabs on his situation in the hope Chambers might be up for grabs as Emery overhauls the squad he inherited from Arsene Wenger.
But Chambers has not got itchy feet now with the door opened to stake a claim for more regular football when Arsenal kick-off at home to champions Manchester City in August.
Laurent Koscielny’s Achilles injury has ruled the Frenchman out until 2019, while Per Mertesacker has retired to become Arsenal’s academy manager.
Shkodran Mustafi’s future is uncertain after failing to live up to his £35m price tag.
Young defenders Rob Holding and Konstantinos Mavropanos are Emery’s other natural centre-back options. Arsenal also want Freiburg’s highly-rated Turkish defender Caglar Soyuncu.
But the Bundesliga club are holding out for £30m.
Chambers only signed his last deal in October and his improved contract is an indication of how highly Emery rates him.
He joined Arsenal for £16m from Southampton in 2014 and has made 83 appearances for the club, spending the 2016-17 season on loan at Middlesbrough.
As well as Sokratis, midfielder Lucas Torreira is also close to finalising a £26m move to Arsenal from Italian Serie A outfit Sampdoria.
He is currently on World Cup duty with Uruguay, who tackle Portugal in the last-16 tonight.
Deals for Stephan Lichtsteiner and goalkeeper
Bernd Leno have already been completed by the busy Emery.