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Should Southampton Bring Calum Chambers Back To St Mary's

Calum Chambers has become the forgotten man of the 2014 summer pillage of the Saints first team squad by the so called big clubs, back then the 19 year old looked to have a golden future, but it has not worked out as he had hoped.

When Saint pocketed £16 million for Calum Chambers in the summer of 2014, there was a feeling that he was perhaps the most talented of the exodus of players who left the club for big money.

But like several other Saints who have left Southampton for Arsenal, he found that his career would never really take off and 7 years later he has still started only 43 Premier League games for the club, only just over double the 18 he racked up for Saints.

His failure to establish himself at the Emirates has not been entirely his own fault, he started his time at Arsenal well starting 23 Premier League games in his first season, but most of these were in the first half of the season.

After struggling to establish himself he was packed off to Middlesbrough in 2016/17 to give him game time in the Premier League, he was a regular there and returned to Arsenal but again found first team opportunities limited.

2018/19 saw him back out on loan, this time at Fulham and although the Cottagers would be relegated he won the Fulham Player of the Season award, with 48.4 per cent of the votes–more than three times any other player nominated.

Last season saw him start to force his way into Mikel Artetas plans but on 29 December 2019, Chambers ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament of his left knee in a 2—1 defeat by Chelsea and his season was over.

Fit again he has played in the Europa League but not in the Premier League and again Arsenal look set to loan him out.

So would a return to St Mary's suit both Saints and Arsenal as well as the player himself.

Turning 26 in a couple of weeks, he is a player that could offer Saints both versatility due to his ability to play either full back or as a central defender, as well as experience with 139 Premier League appearances to his name.

With money tight due to the Covid 19 situation, it would make sense for Saints to utilise the loan market and this is an option that might well be suitable.

Theo Walcott has shown that a prodigal son returning after leaving for Arsenal can be a success, perhaps Calum Chambers might be the next one.

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