Conte eyes English trio in £100m raid
Oxlade-chamberlain to meet Wenger today Drinkwater and Barkley also on Chelsea’s radar
Chelsea have made a new move for Alex Oxlade-chamberlain as they attempt to land a £100 million treble of English signings.
Oxlade-chamberlain is due to meet Arsene Wenger today, when Chelsea hope he will tell the Arsenal manager that he wants to move to Stamford Bridge. As well as bidding £35million for Oxlade-chamberlain, Chelsea are still working towards finding an agreement for Danny Drinkwater, who Leicester City value at £40million, and are refusing to give up on £25million Ross Barkley, despite Tottenham Hotspur leading the chase for the Everton midfielder.
Ideally, Chelsea want to complete deals for all three Englishmen before the transfer window closes next Thursday and have not yet given up on £60million left-back Alex Sandro, despite Juventus insisting he will not be sold.
Oxlade-chamberlain has entered the final 12 months of his contract and has informed Wenger he will not sign a new deal. With Chelsea now stepping up their interest under the orders of head coach Antonio Conte, it is unlikely that the 24-year-old will change his stance, even if Arsenal offer fresh terms worth more than £100,000 a week.
That would make it tough for Wenger to maintain his stance that Oxladechamberlain will not be sold. Wenger could be left with the scenario of either selling Oxlade-chamberlain or watching him leave for free in 12 months.
Conte is personally pushing for the signing of a player he believes would be a vital addition to his squad because of his ability to play at wing-back, central midfield or on the wing, as Chelsea need reinforcements in all three positions.
Speaking about Oxlade-chamberlain last week, Wenger said: “I rate him highly, he is one of the players who is on his way up and has made huge progress. I want him to stay here for a long time.”
Chelsea have already failed with one bid of around £15million for Drinkwater, but with talks still open, there is optimism an agreement can be found. Drinkwater is keen to move to Stamford Bridge, where he could reunite with N’golo Kante, and Craig Shakespeare, the Leicester manager, has admitted the 27-year-old could leave if the right offer arrives.
Chelsea have already signed midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko this summer, but Conte wants more cover after the departure of Nemanja Matic to Manchester United. The visit of Everton to Stamford Bridge on Sunday will allow Chelsea to step up negotiations over Barkley, who Tottenham have been chasing all summer.
Spurs are expected to submit an opening bid of £20 million, plus £8million in add-ons, and remain favourites to land Barkley, who has entered the final 12 months of his contract and is unlikely to sign a new deal. But Chelsea will make an offer of their own for the 23-year-old, who has been ruled out for the next three months after tearing his hamstring. Completing deals for all three, or any, of their English targets would give Chelsea’s homegrown quota a big boost as they combine Premier League and Champions League campaigns this season.