Former Arsenal man Paul Merson has voiced his shock that Calum Chambers’s has during last month’s transfer window.
The defenders returned from a long-term injury in the first half of the season and has made just two first-team appearances with both coming in the Europa League.
Speaking to Sky Sports (2:23pm, February 1, 2021), the former Highbury favourite expressed his surprise that Premier League strugglers Fulham didn’t look to sign the £16m man.
Merson said: “Chambers, I thought Fulham might come back in for him, he didn’t let Fulham down last season. I thought he might be another body for them.”
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There are two ways you can look at the situations surrounding the former Southampton man, either it’s gross mismanagement from Arsenal that he’s still at the club or he’s rated incredibly highly by Mikel Arteta, who sees him as a reasonable option off the bench.
Some people seem to forget just how well the 26-year-old was performing for the Gunners prior to his knee injury during last season’s clash with Chelsea. The £13.05m-rated star was a constant in the Premier League team for former Unai Emery and even started against the Blues in Arteta’s second league game ever.
He proved an incredibly versatile figure in the squad, featuring at both right-back and centre-half. However, it was the consistency in his performances which really caught the eye as he finally looked to secure a regular starting place for the first time since joining in 2014.
It’s easy to look at the situation and take aim at the club for failing to loan out a player who is in desperate need of regular first-team football. After all, the north London outfit have been guilty of mismanaging in the transfer market for years and years.
However, Chambers proves a capable option off the bench and should injury problems rear its head, there’s no reason the one-time England international can’t fill in.
In other news, Arteta has overseen a shift in this tactical area after the last two league games.
