Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has joined Arsenal for £15m and revealed he used to watch the Gunners on television and how they influenced his style of play. The former Southampton midfielder, who turns 18 on Monday, explained after signing his long-term contract how years of studying the way Arsenal play under Arsene Wenger influenced his own game.
"I've never really been a mad fan of anyone but Arsenal definitely were one of the teams I've always followed," he told Arsenal TV Online.
"I think that's the best way to learn to play football, watching the boys play at Arsenal."
In particular all-time top scorer, Thierry Henry was a major influence.
"As I was growing up, he was always star man on Match of the Day," Oxlade-Chamberlain said of the former Arsenal captain.
"All the highlights were basically of him because he was always scoring, week in, week out.
"The goals he scored were fantastic and the play he created around him with the rest of the players, it was just exciting to watch."
The youngster admitted manager Wenger's reputation for blooding youngsters was also a factor in the switch.
"That was one of the reasons why I wanted to come to Arsenal, because I really believe that he knows what he's doing," Oxlade-Chamberlain added.
"I think he knows what to do to develop me in the best way."
