Boss - Why Chambers will play centrally

Arsene Wenger is convinced Calum Chambers will become a top-class centre back.

The England international played 22 games as a right back at previous club Southampton, before moving to Emirates Stadium last summer.

Since then he has impressed in both positions, but Wenger feels the 20-year-old will gravitate towards the centre.

“First, his stature [suits that position],” he said. “The fact he is intelligent and reads the game well, the fact that he’s more at ease in the middle.

“On the flank, today you need more pace, more change of direction, more agility. He has the stamina, the power and the quality to be a central midfielder or a central defender.

“He’s pretty much there. At the moment I have players who have more experience than he has [at centre back], but in pre-season I will play him there.”

Chambers had a tough afternoon at right back against Swansea City in November, but Wenger feels he learnt a lot from the experience.

“He has had some difficult games, but that’s part of gaining experience and the learning process,” the manager said.

“It did teach him, he’s an intelligent boy, he thinks about his game after – how he could have blocked him [Montero] better, how he could have stopped the crosses and to read the game of your opponent is an important part for a defender.”