London (AFP) – Newly-promoted Premier League side Fulham have signed Arsenal defender Calum Chambers on a season-long loan, the west London club announced on Tuesday.
The 23-year-old, who signed a new long-term contract with Arsenal last month, joins Fulham just four days before their Premier League season-opener against Crystal Palace at Craven Cottage.
“I’m really excited. I watched a lot of Fulham last season, I really like the way they play football, there’s a good manager, it’s a great club, so I’m really excited for the season ahead,” said Chambers.
Slavisa Jokanovic’s men were promoted with a 1-0 playoff victory over Aston Villa in May, after a late-season charge just failed to secure a top-two finish in the Championship.
Chambers, who has won three caps for England and can play either at right-back, centre-back or in midfield, previously spent a spell on loan with Middlesbrough during the 2016-17 season.
“Everyone can see that Fulham’s a club that likes to play football, play football from the back, through the lines,” he added. “That’s the style of football I like as well, so I think it fits me and suits the way I play.”
Chambers had stated his ambition to fight for a first-team place at the Emirates Stadium under new Arsenal coach Unai Emery.
But with Laurent Koscielny, new signing Sokratis Papastathopoulos, Shkodran Mustafi and youngster Dinos Mavropanos all providing healthy competition, the former Southampton player has had to make the short trip to Fulham in search of regular playing time.
He is likely to resume his former England Under-21 partnership with Alfie Mawson in the heart of defence, after the 24-year-old signed from Swansea last week.
Serbia striker Aleksdandr Mitrovic, goalkeeper Fabri, German World Cup-winner Andre Schurrle and former Nice midfielder Jean-Michael Seri have all also joined Fulham in the close season.
