Former Arsenal star Calum Chambers is thriving in his new role as a central midfielder at Cardiff City, seemingly making a long-awaited position change permanent.
Calum Chambers, the former Arsenal defender, is thriving in a new midfield role at Cardiff City. Though Chambers spent the majority of his career in defence, the 30-year-old has long held ambitions of playing further forward, a preference he first expressed during his time at Arsenal and later demonstrated on loan at Fulham.
At Arsenal, Chambers was a versatile squad player, making 112 appearances between 2014 and 2022.
He was primarily deployed at right back (56 games) and centre back (45 games), but Arsène Wenger also utilised him 12 times as a defensive midfielder, recognising his ability to protect the back line and break up play. Those midfield performances, though brief, hinted at Chambers’ untapped potential in the engine room.
Now at Cardiff, Chambers has been handed a consistent opportunity to make that positional change permanent, playing a key role in the South Wales club’s four-match unbeaten league run.
Reflecting on his new role, Chambers said, “I’ve been loving playing in midfield. It’s always a position I’ve felt I could play throughout my career. I think the position suits me and what I can bring to the game. It’s definitely something I’m enjoying. I like to get about, break up play, get involved going forward, and link up between defence and attack.”
Chambers last enjoyed a sustained run as a midfielder during his loan spell at Fulham in the 2018/19 season, where he capped his time with a memorable goal in a derby against Chelsea. Now preparing for another fierce derby — Cardiff vs. Swansea — Chambers hopes to repeat that kind of performance for his new club.
“It’s got that extra special feel to it,” he said of the rivalry, adding, “I’ve learned from my experiences playing at centre-back what I would want from a midfielder in front of me, and I’ve taken that into my role.”
Chambers’ switch to midfield has brought a new dynamic to Cardiff’s system, and with his positional versatility, leadership, and defensive awareness, the former Arsenal star looks set to make this change a defining chapter of his career.
As Cardiff build momentum in the Championship in a bid to move themselves clear of the relegation places, Chambers’ midfield contributions could be vital to their push in the second half of the season.