Report have it that the defending champion, Chelsea, are losing in on the signing of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain after agreeing a fee in the region of £35million with Arsenal for the England international.
Oxlade-Chamberlain will now discuss personal terms with the Blues and is expected to complete the switch across London before the transfer window shuts on Thursday night.
As reported by Telegraph Sport, Oxlade-Chamberlain rejected Arsenal’s last contract offer and told manager Arsene Wenger he wanted to leave the club before Sunday’s thrashing at Liverpool. Wenger had insisted Oxlade-Chamberlain would not be sold earlier this summer, but it appears the Frenchman’s hand has now been forced.
Oxlade-Chamberlain will be granted special leave from England duty while he ties up his Chelsea move and could miss the World Cup qualifier against Malta.
The 24-year-old is part of Gareth Southgate’s England squad and is due to travel to Malta for the World Cup qualifier on Thursday – transfer deadline day.
But should talks and a medical drag towards deadline day, then Oxlade-Chamberlain could be left behind when the rest of the England squad travel.
Chelsea, though, will hope to wrap-up the signing of Oxlade-Chamberlain before Thursday, as they are also chasing deals for Leicester City’s Danny Drinkwater, Everton’s Ross Barkley and Swansea City’s Fernando Llorente before the transfer window closes.
