Talented youngster, but is he exactly what Tottenham or Arsenal need?

One of the names that has circulated frequently this season is that of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. He has been labelled as the next big thing to come out of League football. With the success of Gareth Bale over the last season and a half, it is no wonder that people are becoming more excited by young players. Two teams that have been linked with this young Southampton winger are Tottenham and Arsenal. But I don’t think Oxlade-Chamberlain is the type of player that either club should be focusing on.

First and foremost, Tottenham need a striker. This season the main goal threat has been from midfield through Bale and Van der Vaart. Defoe has struggled to score, as has the more effective Peter Crouch, and Roman Pavlyuchenko has not done enough to impress Redknapp.

With the acquisition of Van der Vaart, Tottenham need a striker who can play in the 4-5-1 formation. If Bale, Lennon and Van der Vaart all play, Tottenham’s current options are too one-dimensional to fulfil this role. Regardless of your opinions on the current strikers at White Hart Lane, you must admit this is an area Tottenham need to strengthen.

The signing of Chamberlain would not represent that. Furthermore, with all the hype that has surrounded Chamberlain, he is likely to be expensive. When you consider that Bale cost £10m and Walcott £12m five years ago, Oxlade-Chamberlain is likely to cost at least £15m. It would be better for Tottenham to save this money and put it towards a larger fee for a more established player. The same applies for Arsenal.

They, too, play with one central striker and I don’t think Chamberlain is likely to be that man next season. Admittedly Thierry Henry came to England as a winger and within two years was the best striker in the country, but he was 22 not 17. As a wide player, an area of relative weakness for Arsenal, he is more desirable to the red half or north London than to the white half. But Arsenal do not need another player like Theo Walcott, who is inconsistent and frustrating. Chamberlain is not good enough to make an immediate impact and so would not play regularly enough to develop quickly.

The difference between themselves and Barcelona is a one or two world class players. As the squads compare, Arsenal have as many good young prospects as anyone. But Chamberlain won’t answer Arsenal’s immediate questions. He will only add to the waiting game that Arsenal fans have been made to play over the last five years.

Arsenal, like Tottenham, could do with an extra striker. Van Persie is not fit enough regularly enough and Chamakh seems to have lost favour with Arsene Wenger. Although the Moroccan played quite regularly in the early part of the season, this was a time when Van Persie was unavailable. At the Nou Camp Bendtner got the nod ahead of the summer signing. It is starting to look like Chamakh was signed as a back-up and not to spear-head the Arsenal front line. Arsenal fans deserve more than another young player this summer; I think Wenger needs to show some intent.

I’m not saying that either club should stop looking to bring in youth. I am saying that Oxlade-Chamberlain is not the kind of player that either side really need. While I would not shun potentially brilliant player, I think Arsenal and Tottenham should invest their money in a more established player to solve their short-term needs.

You can get in contact with Joe on Twitter if you want to discuss which players need to be brought to White Hart Lane and The Emirates this summer.