Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will find it just as difficult to find a regular place in the team at Chelsea as he does now at Arsenal, according to Nigel Winterburn.
The England international is the subject of a £35million offer from Chelsea and is keen to seal a move across London after rejecting multiple contract offers from the Gunners.
Oxlade-Chamberlain has been at Arsenal since 2001 and Winterburn believes the 24-year-old is pushing for a move to seek a new challenge away from the Emirates.
However, Winterburn has warned Oxlade-Chamberlain that he could find himself in an equally frustrating position at Stamford Bridge if he completes a move before Thursday’s deadline.
‘If you look at what Oxlade-Chamberlain has done so well for Arsenal, particularly at the start of last season, he’s played at wing-back and been sensational,’ Winterburn, 53, told Sky Sports.
‘So straight away he could come in and compete with [Victor] Moses as a right-wing back or play at left-wing back.
‘If Oxlade-Chamberlain wants to play in midfield, is it in an advanced position? You’re up against Willian and Pedro.
‘He’s going to have to battle, there’s no guarantee that he is going to have a spot ahead of those players.
‘So he could – he could – be in exactly the same position whether he joins Chelsea or even Liverpool as he is at Arsenal. But I think he’s decided for a fresh challenge.’
Alexis Sanchez is another first-team star at the Emirates being strongly linked with a move before the window closes on Thursday night.
Manchester City have revived their interest in the Chilean playmaker in recent days and are reportedly willing to use Raheem Sterling in a swap deal.
‘There’s just so much uncertainty around Arsenal at the moment,’ Winterburn said when asked about Sanchez’s future.
‘I was looking at Arsenal and thinking quite positively over the summer, now I’m sitting here thinking “what the heck is going on?”
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