Wenger refusing to sell Ox to Chelsea
ARSENE WENGER is vowing not to sell Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to Chelsea – because he would return to haunt him.
The Arsenal boss believes Oxlade-Chamberlain will emerge as England’s best talent within the next two years and is
determined not to lose him to a direct rival.
Chelsea boss Antonio Conte wants Oxlade-Chamberlain and is ready to bid £35million after having one offer turned down, leaving the Arsenal midfielder threatening to leave on a free next year.
Wenger said: “Yes, he will be here at the end of the season. Personally, because I rate him highly and he’s one of the players who is on his way up.
“In the last year, he has made huge progress and I want him to stay here for a long time.
“I’m convinced he will be the English player that everybody will look at in the next two years.”
Oxlade-Chamberlain has told Wenger he will not sign a new deal and his stand-off is not about money. Despite that, Wenger insists neither Oxlade-Chamberlain nor Alexis Sanchez have asked to leave and the Frenchman is determined to stand firm, even though both are in the final year of their contracts.
Manchester City are lining up a huge last-minute offer for Sanchez to test Arsenal’s resolve and Wenger fears the Chile star will go for free next summer.
He added: “At the moment Sanchez is a player who goes into the final year of his contract and prepares for the season. We have not made any progress on the other front.
“That [leaving for free] is a consequence of what I say, yes, unfortunately.
“But we have to make a choice between efficiency on the field and financial interest and most of the time if you can find a good compromise, it’s better.”