'I can fill Alex Song's role at Arsenal', says Oxlade-Chamberlain

I can fill Song's role at Arsenal, says Oxlade-Chamberlain

Aug 25, 2012 9:40:00 AM

The 19-year-old insists he is ready to fill the void left by the Cameroonian, while Arsene Wenger hasn't ruled out a signing despite claiming he has adequate cover in the position

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain says he is ready to move into Alex Song's midfield role at Arsenal following the Cameroonian's move to Barcelona.

After Song's £15 million switch to the Catalan giants and a breakdown in talks between Arsenal and Real Madrid over a possible loan deal for Nuri Sahin, the Gunners were left short in the central midfield position.

However, the 19-year-old reckons he has the ability to 'step up to the plate' and fill Song's shoes.

He told The Sun:"They are big shoes to fill but you’ve got that anywhere at Arsenal. In any position you’ve got a big role to play and big shoes to fill. You only have to look back at the Invincibles and the team that won the league — they are massive shoes to fill for us.

“Whenever you’re playing on the pitch you have to step up to the plate and perform.

“Alex Song was a great player for us and he was a big player for us — but we’ve got a strong enough squad. I’m definitely confident of that and I’m definitely confident of filling Alex’s role.”

Oxlade-Chamberlain has mainly been deployed as a winger so far in his Arsenal career but Arsene Wenger believes he has a future in central midfield, which we saw a glimpse of in Arsenal's 3-0 win over AC Milan in the Champions League last season.

“I remember on the day I actually signed he asked me where I saw myself playing", he continued.

“My dad was in the room and said ‘Centre mid, he’s a midfielder’.

“The boss sort of laughed and said ‘I think he could be as well’. He said maybe to start off with I would be out wide and last season I did play the majority of my games on the wing."

Meanwhile, Wenger hasn't ruled out making a signing for that position but insists a deal will only be done if he believes real defensive quality can be added to the squad.

"If someone really top, top class comes up… I do not need to buy an average midfielder," Wenger told the club's official website.

"If someone top, top class turns up, completely defensive, we will consider it."

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