Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has admitted he is growing frustrated at his lack of game time at the Emirates and will consider his future at the club if the situation continues.
The England international has struggled for regular game time in recent seasons, largely due to injury, and has made just three Premier League starts so far this campaign.
The 23-year-old was a late substitute on Saturday as Arsenal beat Swansea 3-2 to move level on points with Manchester City at the top of the table and admits he is not happy being on the bench.
“I’d be lying if I said it hadn’t crossed my mind that I need more game time,” he told Sky Sports’ Goals on Sunday.
“As a footballer, you want to play every game. Me being myself, I’m not happy when I’m not playing.
“There is going to come a time in my career, and I think I’m approaching that, when I do need to be getting more regular football, but my focus completely and utterly now is on playing for Arsenal and still trying to break into the team when I get the opportunity. Help out if I have to come off the bench, do what I did yesterday and come on and make a difference.
“My sole aim for now is to help Arsenal and keep pushing myself to play in this team, because you know, I love playing at Arsenal. It’s a great club, it’s a great team and I’ve got a lot of faith in the team.
“There is that in my mind that I do want to get more game time. There comes a time in your career where you have to re-evaluate things and think, ‘Is that going to be here or elsewhere?’”
Oxlade-Chamberlain also admits he has spoken with Arsene Wenger about his predicament and has asked why he has been left out of the team
“As I’ve got older, in the last year or so, I’ve gone and knocked on his door and had words with him,” he said.
“I’m at a stage now where I definitely want to be playing and pushing him to play me, getting feedback and if I’m not playing, finding out why I’m not playing. Or if I am playing, what he is happy with or what he is not happy with.”
Oxlade-Chamberlain’s lack of game time is clearly a frustration and his desire to play regular __football is understandable. However, unless he can force his way into Arsene Wenger’s starting line-up and consistently impress, which seems unlikely with competition for places fierce particularly in midfield, it would appear that his future may indeed lie away from north London.