Chelsea are set to step up their efforts to sign Arsenal winger Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain over the coming days, reports Sky Sports.
The England international is out of contract in 12 months’ time and is reluctant to put pen to paper on a new deal for the Gunners.
He, along with Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil, are coming into the final year of their contracts, though only Ozil has shown any indication that he is prepared to extend his stay in north London.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has said he 100% expects Oxlade-Chamberlain to stay at Arsenal, but the Gunners boss has supposedly been told that the former Southampton trainee has no plans to remain at the club.
Liverpool and Manchester City have both been linked with a move for the 23-year-old, but Chelsea believe they are in pole position to sign the youngster.
Arsenal play Chelsea in a pre-season friendly this weekend and the Premier League champions are planning talks with their London rivals within 48 hours of the north London side’s Sunday return to England.
Oxlade-Chamberlain registered seven assists in the Premier League last season, as many as he had in the previous five top-flight campaigns combined.
