Arsenal Reportedly Offer to More Than Double Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's Wages

Arsenal are reportedly prepared to offer Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain a new contract paying £180,000 per week to fend off interest from Premier League rivals Chelsea. 

Oxlade-Chamberlain is out of contract in 2018, but Gunners manager Arsene Wenger will reportedly sanction an increase of more than double his current wages to put Chelsea off, despite the Blues "growing increasingly optimistic" about signing the versatile midfielder before this transfer window closes, per Matt Law and Jeremy Wilson of the Daily Telegraph.

Law noted how the Gunners are not optimistic Oxlade-Chamberlain will sign the improved terms:

"Arsenal, though, fear that he will turn down the latest offer after already telling Wenger that he will not sign a new deal and, as reported by Telegraph Sport, Chelsea have launched a £35 million bid.

"Oxlade-Chamberlain met with Wenger on Thursday and was offered the chance to more than double his wages to a package worth around £180,000 a week. With Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil also prevaricating on even bigger offers, that would place him behind only Alexandre Lacazette on Arsenal’s current wage structure."

If Oxlade-Chamberlain did turn down such an offer he would be at loggerheads with the north London club.

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As Law noted, the Gunners think their current offer should be enough: "Arsenal will clearly feel that this is a very competitive offer given Oxlade-Chamberlain has scored nine goals in his 130 Premier League appearances and only really forced his way into the starting team over the past year."

Oxlade-Chamberlain's struggles to become a regular in the Arsenal starting XI stem from an ongoing search to find his best position. The former Southampton prospect's versatility has almost counted against him, with Wenger deploying the player on the flanks and centrally since he moved to north London in 2011.

A role as a central midfielder, one in the style of Liverpool great Steven Gerrard, is what Oxlade-Chamberlain wants, per BT Sport (h/t Alex Young of the London Evening Standard).

Wenger has even indicated in the past he sees Oxlade-Chamberlain playing central eventually, per Jeremy Wilson of the Daily Telegraph.

However, the Gunners boss has most often kept Oxlade-Chamberlain wide. The 24-year-old has been playing wing-back in Arsenal's 3-4-3 formation.

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It's likely where he would play for Chelsea, since the Blues operate in the same formation and may see the Arsenal ace as an upgrade over Victor Moses on the right.

Oxlade-Chamberlain's chances of playing in the middle at Arsenal are slim, with Granit Xhaka, Aaron Ramsey, Jack Wilshere and Mohamed Elneny also available.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference ahead of Sunday's Premier League game with Liverpool, Wenger made it clear how highly he rates Oxlade-Chamberlain, per the club's official website:

"I think we invested a lot of time, confidence and money on players like Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who we bought at a young age. For me, they have a responsibility for the future of this club because Alex will be one of the big English players in the coming years. I personally am highly determined to keep him here at the club and I hope he will commit."

Yet if the player is determined not to sign fresh terms, Wenger may be forced to rethink his position. It's something Sami Mokbel of the Daily Mail thinks the Arsenal manager will do rather than lose Oxlade-Chamberlain on a free transfer next summer.

Wenger has already indicated he needs to sell before he can buy in the remainder of this window. He may find an offer of £35 million for a so far unfulfilled talent who doesn't want to stay too good to pass up, even if it means selling to a rival.