Chelsea Launch £25m Swoop On Rivals As Conte Looks To Sign Liverpool Target

Managers are now pressing ahead with their plans for the summer transfer window so we’ll bring you all the latest news and gossip from around the globe. Today, Chelsea step-up their attempts to sign Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain….

Chelsea have stepped-up their interest in Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain after launching a £25m move to sign the Arsenal contract rebel this summer, according to the Daily Mail.

Oxlade-Chamberlain’s future at the Emirates is in serious doubt as he’s inside the final year of his contract and has so far refused to sign an extension despite lengthy talks with Arsenal officials.

The 23-year-old has attracted interest from a number of Premier League clubs with The Sun reporting  last week that Chelsea and Liverpool were battling it out over the England international’s signature.

It looks like Chelsea have now stolen a march on the Merseysiders as the Daily Mail claim they’ve launched a £25m move to sign the versatile midfielder but Arsenal have already rebuffed their attempts and insist Oxlade-Chamberlain won’t be sold this summer even if he doesn’t sign an extension.

That won’t deter Chelsea though as the newspaper suggests the Premier League champions will now intensify their efforts to lure The Ox to Stamford Bridge as Antonio Conte looks to further strengthen his squad.

Conte has made no secret that he’s become increasingly frustrated at their transfer activity this summer as although they’ve signed four new players they still only have 14 available first team players heading in to the opening weekend of the new campaign.

The Italian coach is desperate to bring in another option in the right wing-back role to compete with Victor Moses and Oxlade-Chamberlain excelled in that position during the season half of last season.

Arsene Wenger is keen to tie the former Southampton youngster down to a new contract but if a deal isn’t signed over the coming weeks then the north Londoners will be under pressure to cash-in before the window closes or risk losing him for nothing next summer.

READ MORE –> Arsenal transfer news | Chelsea transfer news | Liverpool transfer news

However, I’m sure it will take more than £25m to persuade Arsenal to sell to a direct rival like Chelsea so the Blues will have to dig a little deeper if they want to take Oxlade-Chamberlain across London this month while I wouldn’t rule Liverpool out of the running just yet either.