
Chelsea
will step up their efforts to sign Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain next week after
securing a deal for Alvaro Morata.
The Premier League champions paid a club-record fee to bring in Morata from
Real Madrid on Friday, and Arsenal's midfielder is now in their sights,
according to Sky sources.
Arsene Wenger has said he "100 per cent" expects Oxlade-Chamberlain to stay
at the Emirates, but the player is inside the final year of his contract.
And Sky Sports News understands the 23-year-old - also wanted by Liverpool
and Manchester City - this week told Wenger he has no intention of signing
the extension currently on offer.
Arsenal play Chelsea in a Beijing friendly on Saturday before flying back to
England, and the Blues plan to open talks about a transfer within 48 hours
of the Gunners' Sunday return.
Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez are also into the final year of their deals,
but the German says his preference is to stay while Wenger insists Sanchez
is "not for sale".