Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has tipped Calum Chambers to fill the centre-back void in North London, seemingly indicating a central defender will not be signed this summer.
Chambers has made 23 Premier League appearances for Arsenal since his £16m move from Southampton last summer but his career has stalled in recent months, as he has fallen down the pecking order.
Utilised at a right-back for large parts of the season, before Hector Bellerin stepped-up, Chambers struggled at times- particularly in the defeat against Swansea City, where Jefferson Montero caused the youngster plenty of issues.
However, ahead of the reverse fixture this evening, Wenger has stated he believes Chambers’ future lies in the heart of the defence as he said:
“It was a hard day for Calum at Swansea,”
“Against Montero, especially in the final part of the game. In the final part of the game, in the first half not so much. In the second part of the game, yes.
“I believe that Calum will be a centre back more than a right back and I want to develop him more as a centre back; even a central midfielder.”
When asked why he believes Chambers will be a central-defender naturally in the future, Wenger added:
“First his stature. The fact he is intelligent and reads the game well, the fact that he’s more at ease in the middle. On the flank, today you need more pace, more change of direction, more agility. He has the stamina, the power and the quality to be a central midfielder or a central defender.”
“At the moment, I have players who have more experience than Calum, but in pre-season I will play him there,”
Wenger then ruled out a move for a central defender this summer, stating that there is plenty of options at the club.
“Debuchy can play there, Monreal can play there so you can say we are not out to buy a central defender. And Gabriel will be a great central defender, believe me. So we have now sorted out the centre backs.”