Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has been the subject of much transfer speculation this summer, with the latest reports on Tuesday -- his 24th birthday -- linking the Arsenal midfielder with a move to Premier League champions Chelsea.
The England international has entered the final year of his contract at the Emirates, just like teammates Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil.
Oxlade-Chamberlain signed for the Gunners from Southampton as a 17-year-old in 2011, but should his time at the club end after six seasons, or should he stay and sign a new deal that could potentially carry him through to a testimonial year?
ESPN FC's Arsenal bloggers give their take on whether "The Ox" should stay or be sold.
SELL
If Chelsea really are prepared to put down £30-35 million on Oxlade-Chamberlain, then Arsenal surely have to sell.
Arsene Wenger has been very public about his desire to hold Sanchez to the final year of his contract for football reasons. The case of Oxlade-Chamberlain is very different: While Sanchez is absolutely instrumental to Arsenal's hopes of getting back into the Champions League, Oxlade-Chamberlain does not even make Arsenal's best XI. Writing off such an enormous sum of money for a squad player would be a huge call to make.
Apparently the main sticking point in Oxlade-Chamberlain's contract negotiations has been his desire for game time in central midfield. Well, he simply isn't going to get that at Arsenal. Wenger could not have been more clear in preseason: Teenager Joe Willock got more opportunities in the middle of the park than "The Ox."
Right now, Oxlade-Chamberlain is regarded as backup for the two wing-back positions. He's a glorified utility player. It's true that he's hit a run of form on the right flank, but Arsenal's commitment to Hector Bellerin is understandable. He's a couple of years younger than Oxlade-Chamberlain and arguably has a higher ceiling. Crucially, he's also under long contract. Arsenal would be unwise to invest the playing time in Ox when he could join another Premier League club for nothing in a matter of months.
It's telling that when Pep Guardiola set about looking for new wing-backs, Bellerin was at the very top of his shortlist. Barcelona have also been sniffing round him too -- this is clearly a player with the ability to go to the very top.
Oxlade-Chamberlain has already had plenty of chances to fulfil his potential. If there is an opportunity to sell him now for a major fee, perhaps Arsenal would be better served by giving a younger player such as Reiss Nelson the chance to see if can make the grade -- James McNicholas
STAY
James makes a persuasive argument, and the rational stance, for all the reasons outlined above, is clearly to sell Oxlade-Chamberlain now and bank the guaranteed £35m. But the rational decision at this point in time isn't necessarily the right decision for the club in a general sense.
Oxlade-Chamberlain turned 24 on Tuesday, and it is already six years since Arsenal signed him from Southampton. His progress has been patchy at times but it seems counterintuitive to invest so much time and effort into developing a young player only to sell him before he reaches his peak.
This is not the same as arguing that Arsenal should have kept hold of Emmanuel Frimpong for the same reasons. Oxlade-Chamberlain is a player with huge ability to be unlocked, and it is not as if he brings nothing to the squad at present. Last season he had his most productive campaign in terms of goals and assists and played in six different positions.
It is true that he hasn't excelled in one particular role yet, and especially not in the centre midfield position he desires above all else, but he is improving and over the past six months has shown a real aptitude for the wing-back role on either side.
The fact it is Chelsea who are trying to sign him tells its own story. The reigning English champions, backed with Roman Abramovich's billions, want a player whom Arsenal should apparently cast aside.
If it is the case that Oxlade-Chamberlain simply refuses to sign a new deal, then maybe the sale will become necessary. But I don't believe that outcome is inevitable. If he continues to impress at wing-back and gets some chances in the centre, too, he could be primed for a big season.
Plus, in purely financial terms, if Arsenal can tie him to a new contract, and get him performing, then in a year's time they could sell him for almost double the money we are talking about today. But I prefer the argument that there is a lot more to come from a player Arsenal have worked hard on, and it would be galling to see this potential realised at Chelsea for the sake of a quick payday now. -- Tom Adams