Chambers wants first-team football amid Arsenal exit talk

Matt Stead

Calum Chambers admits he wants first-team football amid reports Arsenal could allow the defender to leave on loan next season.

Chambers, signed from Southampton for £16million two years ago, has fallen down the pecking order since the turn of the year, managing just over 50 minutes of Premier League football.

And according to The Telegraph, the 21-year-old could rejoin his former club, while Crystal Palace, Bournemouth, Swansea and Watford are also keeping an eye on his situation at the Emirates.

Asked about how he saw his club future, he said: “For me, I just want to play games, so, yeah, that’s it for me.

“But at the moment I am not thinking too much about next season, I just want to go and enjoy my summer. Then we’ll get back at it soon.”

He added: “Playing games is what is all about. Getting experience, getting game-time and that’s what is key at the moment for players our age and experiences.

“The more game-time we get, the more experience you’ll get and obviously the more it’ll benefit you.”

While Chambers has endured a frustrating season at club level, his campaign ended positively as part of the England Under-21 side which won the Toulon Tournament.

A year on from exiting the European Championship at the group stage, Gareth Southgate’s men returned from southern France having won in convincing fashion.

Sunday’s 2-1 victory against the hosts wrapped up England’s first Toulon win since 1994, seeing them complete the tournament with a 100 per cent record.

Southgate’s side scored 15 and conceded only twice during a quick-fire, five-match competition that Chambers will not forget in a hurry.

“We’ve said in the meetings after games and throughout the tournament that we felt that the way we played and controlled the game, we were really confident,” he told Press Association Sport.

“I can’t really think of a time in any of the games where we felt out of control and thought we were in trouble.

“We controlled the games, played the way we want to play, adapted to conditions and things as well and I thought we did really well out there. This is a really close group. The energy and atmosphere here is exciting.

“I think everyone looks forward to coming away and obviously over this trip especially we’ve just bonded together so much. They are memories that we can all have together and share.”