Published: 31 July, 2014
by STEVE BARNETT

ARSENAL’S latest summer signing Calum Chambers has been talking about the “whirlwind” past 11 months that have ended with him being recruited by Arsene Wenger. 

The 19-year-old was unveiled by the Gunners on Monday after completed his move from Southampton in a deal believed to be worth around £16million. 

It seems a hefty price tag for the teenager to have to live up to, especially considering he only made his debut for the Saints on the opening day of the 2013/14 season. 

“It has been a bit of a whirlwind for me,” Chambers told Arsenal Player. “But I have managed to keep my feet on the ground and worked hard but it has been quite a mad 11 months! 

“From Under-21s to first-team football is such a big step. 

“I think it’s more mentally than physically challenging, and over the Christmas period as well it was very tough. 

“But I have loved my first season. Every experience I got was such a good feeling. To go out there and play against players of such quality, I just want to keep doing it more and more. 

“I am so happy to sign for Arsenal. They are a team I admire for their playing style and a team who have been one of the top sides in Europe for many years.” 

Wenger sited Chambers’s versatility as one of the key factors is splashing the cash on the youngster. But the player admits he only started playing as a right-back to get into the Southampton team. 

“I was a midfielder about a year and a half ago,” he said. “I saw an opportunity in the first team at right-back and thought that for my progress it would be best to move there. 

“I used everything I learnt in midfield, like first-touch, scanning and all that, and I brought into playing as a right-back. I went through each game afterwards with the coaches and worked on little bits and it just went from there.”