Chelsea are ready to step up their pursuit of Arsenal and England midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. The 23-year-old, who is entering the final 12 months of his contract at The Emirates, is reluctant to put pen to paper on a new deal in North London and The Gunners are anxious to not lose him on a free-transfer next summer.
 

Reports in The Express state that Oxlade-Chamberlain has rejected a £100,000-a-week offer and is looking for a bigger payday elsewhere. The Premier League champions and Manchester City are both monitoring the situation with the club from the capital thought to be in pole-position.
 

City boss Pep Guardiola is a big fan of the wide man but the player himself is concerned that he will not be given regular first-team football at The Etihad, which is one of the main reasons he wants to leave his current employers. Chelsea on the other hand, are building a squad to fight on two fronts next term and coach Antonio Conte wants strength in depth and could promise Oxlade-Chamberlain significantly more game time.