Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has reportedly been identified as a target for Stoke City, after links to Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea.

According to a report in The Sun, the Ox has drawn interest from a whole host of clubs, the latest of which is Mark Hughes’ side. Arsenal’s midfielder has been the subject of speculation all summer, as his contract expires in 2018 and he’s yet to publicly commit his future to the club.

Arsène Wenger insisted earlier in the Gunners’ pre-season tour that Oxlade-Chamberlain wasn’t going to leave the club this summer. When asked if he expected to keep the winger, Arsène told Sky Sports: “Yes. 100 per cent, I expect him to stay. No matter the speculation, he will stay.”

The Sun claim Arsenal are looking for between £20-25m, which would mean a record transfer for the Potters. From a Stoke point of view it’s clear to see why they’d be interested in a young player with such good potential.

As well as the benefit he’d bring to the team directly, it would also send a message about the kind of players Stoke hope to attract, let alone providing a replacement for Marko Arnautovic who joined West Ham.

For Oxlade-Chamberlain, this would represent an opportunity for a regular first-team place. The 23-year-old hopes to confirm himself as a starter for the England national team in the 2018 Russian World Cup and he’ll need minutes domestically as a result.

If the Ox does end up leaving Arsenal, he has plenty of options with so many sides linked. It’s hard to imagine Stoke would be particularly high up his list of preferences.