Arsenal transfers: Southampton fail in bid to re-sign defender Calum Chambers

Arsene Wenger says he plans to hand Calum Chambers further experience at centre-back this season and made clear that the England worldwide will remain a Gunner despite reported interest from Southampton.

Reports emerged last week suggesting that Southampton had failed in a bid to take their former academy graduate back to the club on a season-long loan move.

Arsenal, who finished third and won the FA Cup last term, kick off their Premier League campaign with a home clash against West Ham United on the opening weekend of the season as they look to challenge for the top-flight title. He has been earmarked as an eventual replacement for either Per Mertesacker or Laurent Koscielny, but showed that he is capable of playing out wide when he was drafted in to replace the injured Mathieu Debuchy.

“I want to develop him as a centre-back and at the moment we have just the right number”.

Southampton banked £16m from the sale of Chambers to Arsenal, but kept tabs on his progress in London which stalled as he was shifted from defensive midfield to full-back positions. “He will get games at Arsenal”, the Frenchman told reporters.