Southampton have started proceedings to bring back their former defender Calum Chambers. The right back who is also equally effective in the heart of the defence spent the last season on loan at Middlesbrough.
Chambers had a very fruitful season at the Riverside as he has been a regular in the Boro side before getting injured in the midst of the season. He came back pretty strongly but couldn’t stop the club from getting demoted to the Championship.
He has been mostly utilised in the heart of the defence and had formed a very formidable partnership with Ben Gibson. This loan stint has helped him immensely as he has not only honed his skills but also has grown very confident from regular football.
Chambers started his career at the South Coast and had dreamt of playing in a bigger club. He didn’t have to wait long as his performance for the Saints earned him a big £16m move to Arsenal in 2014.
While he was extremely confident at Southampton, he could not show the same level of confidence and skill at Arsenal and quickly fell down the pecking order. But having gotten a hefty amount of game time under his belt with Boro, he is now seemingly fit to play his trade on a regular basis in the Premier League.
He was shipped out on loan and has impressed Arsene Wenger who termed his loan stint as very ‘positive’. But Chambers’ passage to the first team won’t be smooth as he has a very tough competitor in Rob Holding. The ex-Bolton player made his way into the starting lineup since Arsenal started to play with a three-man defence.
Holding has been a rage in the side and he is likely to be reinstated to the starting lineup as a reward for his performance. With first team chances slipping out of the hand, it is now the best time for Chambers to call for a move.
Chambers is tremendously versatile as he can also fill in the midfield and the Saints would love to have a player who could be used in a number of positions.
The 22-year-old is currently at the European Championship with the England U-21 squad and is carrying a £15m price tag. A number of clubs including the likes of Everton and Newcastle United are chasing the player. But the youngster would prefer a move to the South Coast as his family is currently based there.
