Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is reportedly asking for £120k-per-week to stay at Arsenal.

The Ox, who’s been consistently followed by rumours that he’s leaving Arsenal this summer, is reportedly demanding £120k-per-week if the Gunners want him to stay, claims the Daily Star.

The 23-year-old has under 12 months left on his existing deal and while it looked as if he would extend earlier this summer, the rumours claiming that he’s off to Liverpool or now even Chelsea, refuse to die.

Antonio Conte’s said are even being said to have made a £35m bid.

Arsenal were allegedly set to offer him £100k-per-week earlier in the transfer window, which the England international was originally said to have agreed, before doing a U-turn and rejecting the new contract.

The rumour mill went into overdrive earlier this week when the Ox ‘liked’ a comment on Instagram claiming that he will sign for Liverpool for £28m this summer. However, whether this was genuine, an accident, or move to inexplicably wind up fans, no one knows. Apart from the Ox, obviously.

The midfielder is said to be on the look-out for regular first team football elsewhere, despite Arsenal sticking by him through all his injury woes since signing from Southampton in 2011. Although it’s hard to see that happening at Liverpool or Chelsea any more consistently than it would in north London.

Arsene Wenger, who has always heaped praise on the Ox, claimed back in July that the former Saints man is staying put. However, more recently, when asked about Chelsea’s plans to sign him, he didn’t answer the question at all, instead just saying, “I think he had in his career some bad moments with small injuries.

“Last year he was much more stable. I think he is hugely talented and is on the way up. The potential is there. 

“He is very conscious of his quality. I believe he will be a very great player.”

The thought of boss selling a player he rates to direct rivals, who finished above the Gunners by one point last season, seems odd. Although some might say that £35m for a player who hardly ever starts is a great bargain from Arsenal’s point of view.

Whether the Ox has anything to do with the mess in the media right now or whether it’s the doing of his agent, Aidy Ward, we may never know.