Chelsea agree £35m deal to sign Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain from Arsenal as Gunners cash-in on wantaway midfielder

England international will discuss personal terms over move to Stamford Bridge this week

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is on the verge of leaving Arsenal for Chelsea (Getty)

Chelsea have agreed a fee to sign midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain from London rivals Arsenal in a £35m move that will not do anything to ease the uncomfortable atmosphere at the Emirates Stadium.

Sunday’s 4-0 defeat by Liverpool brought back all the negativity from the 2016/17 season, with Arsenal winning just one of their opening three Premier League games this month opening up manager Arsene Wenger and the rest of the club to further criticism.

Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville, who commentated for Sky Sports during the Anfield demolition, claimed that the entire squad should be put up for sale for such an appalling performance, and it appears that his advice has been taken when it comes to Oxlade-Chamberlain.

The 24-year-old will discuss personal terms over a move to Stamford Bridge on Tuesday, with the deal set to be rushed through before Thursday’s transfer deadline due to the full programme of international fixtures this week. Oxlade-Chamberlain, who is with the England squad this week, is expected to play a part in England’s World Cup qualifier against Malta on Friday, and he is likely to run out as Chelsea’s latest acquisition.

Parts of his medical will be held at England’s training ground at St George’s Park, and with his contract having just nine months left to run, Arsenal have decided to cash-in on his value, something that they are not willing to do with either Alexis Sanchez or Mesut Özil. Oxlade-Chamberlain is understood to have told Wenger of his desire to leave Arsenal before Sunday’s defeat at Anfield.

Oxlade-Chamberlain played against Liverpool on Sunday despite wanting to leave Arsenal (Getty)

Liverpool were also interested in Oxlade-Chamberlain, but their interest in Monaco’s Thomas Lemaar – a player Arsenal want to sign – appears to stem from Chelsea beating them to the England international. The Blues will pay Arsenal more than £35m due to add-ons included in the deal, but his arrival strengthens Antonio Conte’s Chelsea squad and also adds to their homegrown quota.

His departure will raise alarm bells at the Emirates once again, with fans never forgiving the club for selling Robin van Persie to Manchester United in 2012 given he went on to fire them to the Premier League title as their top goalscorer. Given Chelsea are evidently in need of reinforcements, this was a chance for Arsenal to try and assert themselves over a team that has had the beating of them for the last decade. Instead, they have been slow in the transfer window, signing just two players in £52m Alexandre Lacazette and free transfer Sead Kolasinac, and now they are even willing to weaken themselves at the same time as strengthening Chelsea.

The Blues are also trying to push through deals for Leicester City’s Danny Drinkwater, Everton’s Ross Barkley and Swansea City’s Fernando Llorente, though time is running out on completing all four deals before Thursday’s 11pm deadline and Oxlade-Chamberlain has been made the priority given the opportunity to sign him arising.

The details of Oxlade-Chamberlain’s contract should be finalised in the coming days without too many issues, although England manager Gareth Southgate will consider leaving him at home for the trip to Malta if the move becomes a distraction.