Report: Oxlade-Chamberlain still unlikely to renew Arsenal contract

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is apparently willing to stall on signing a tabled contract offer from Arsenal as he ponders his role in north London, along with interest from Chelsea and Liverpool.

The Gunners' proposal to the 24-year-old includes wages exceeding £100,000 a week, according to The Telegraph's Jeremy Wilson, but the Southampton product is in no rush to reach a decision over his future, and ultimately, is unlikely to ink fresh terms.

Oxlade-Chamberlain was regularly deployed in the starting lineup in the latter stages of last season, and has featured in every minute of Arsenal's current Premier League slate. He hasn't started in his preferred central midfield berth, though, as Arsene Wenger continues to use him as a wing-back in his 3-4-2-1 setup.

Arsenal is keen on wrapping up a deal for Oxlade-Chamberlain, rather than facing the prospect of him leaving for free at the end of his current contract next summer. However, Wenger would reportedly rather keep him on the books and run that risk over letting him leave for a rival - a similar stance to how he's addressing the shrinking terms of Mesut Ozil, Alexis Sanchez, and Jack Wilshere at the Emirates Stadium.

Bids may be forthcoming from Chelsea and Liverpool for Oxlade-Chamberlain before the summer transfer window slams shut on Aug. 31. Both clubs have been linked to the speedster for some time - a £35-million switch to the former was believed to be close in mid-August - with his versatility no doubt a huge plus for two of the Premier League's most obsessive tacticians, Antonio Conte and Jurgen Klopp.

Chelsea wouldn't necessarily offer him a place in central midfield, with N'Golo Kante, Tiemoue Bakayoko, Cesc Fabregas, auxiliary option David Luiz, and potentially Danny Drinkwater squabbling over playing in the middle two. In the wing-back slots, choices are thin after Marcos Alonso, Victor Moses, and Cesar Azpilicueta, indicating that Oxlade-Chamberlain would be asked to strengthen this department.

In Liverpool's 4-3-3 setup, Oxlade-Chamberlain would likely go into Klopp's frantic, gegenpressing midfield after a pursuit for RB Leipzig's Naby Keita fell flat last month.

Following a narrative popular among British scribes, Arsenal is apparently suffering from the same old issues that have blighted recent seasons - oft-chuntered cliches such as having "no leadership" - after slumping to a 1-0 defeat at Stoke City on Saturday.

Wenger will look to smooth out any problems in time for Sunday's league trip to Liverpool.