Arsenal midfielder linked with unlikely move to Stoke City

Oli Fisher
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Arsenal’s Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has reportedly been linked with an unlikely transfer to Stoke City.

Stoke officials have approached Arsenal over a transfer potentially worth around £25m, amongst reported interest from Liverpool, Chelsea, and Manchester City, say The Sun.

Oxlade-Chamberlain signed for Arsenal as a teenager from Southampton in 2010 for around £12m, but the England international has struggled to nail down a regular spot in the starting XI, as injuries have often affected his momentum.

Chamberlain, also known as “the Ox”, has just one year left on his contract and is stalling over an extension as he seeks assurances over his playing time at the club.

The midfielder’s father, Mark Chamberlain, played for Stoke between 1982 and 1985, and the club may believe that the offer of regular first-team football will be enough to bring his son to the club.

Having just sold Marko Arnautovic to West Ham, the Potters are keen on finding a strong, direct winger to replace him, and Oxlade-Chamberlain fits the bill.

However, Arsene Wenger appears reluctant to sell the player, particularly to another Premier League club, and it is unlikely that the player himself will want to make the step down.