Manchester United and Liverpool have both enquired over the availability of Arsenal midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, according to latest reports.

The English international only has a year left on his deal at Arsenal, and although manager Arsène Wenger has made it clear he has no plans to let Oxlade-Chamberlain go, this hasn’t stopped the rumours from circulating around his future. The Express say Manchester United and Liverpool have joined Chelsea in trying to sign him.

The Arsenal midfielder has many admirers, having greatly improved in recent seasons. In 2016/17, he scored and assisted 17 goals in 45 appearances. Only Alexis Sanchez and Granit Xhaka featured more times. Arsenal would surely miss that sort of contribution on the pitch, as well as the player’s versatility, I feel.

In just seven Champions League games last season, Oxlade-Chamberlain appeared at left-mid, right-wing, right-mid, right-back and centre-mid. He’s a useful player and gives his all everytime he steps out onto the pitch. But I believe he’s had issues with Wenger over league starts and his natural position in games.

Chelsea and Liverpool are both looking for fullback cover as well as in midfield, so it’s no guarantee the Ox would be at the heart of the action elsewhere. At Manchester United, he’d certainly struggle for starts too.