Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is reportedly eyeing up a return to Arsenal but I doubt the club are interested in him, regardless of his desires.

Liverpool's English midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain reacts after picking up an injury during the UEFA Champions League first leg semi-final football match between Liverpool and Roma at Anfield stadium in Liverpool, north west England on April 24, 2018. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP)
Liverpool’s English midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain reacts after picking up an injury during the UEFA Champions League first leg semi-final football match between Liverpool and Roma at Anfield stadium in Liverpool, north west England on April 24, 2018. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP)

Over the summer, it was reported that Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain could be leaving Liverpool. West Ham were said to be keen.

In the end, the former Arsenal man stayed at Anfield and has seen just 208 minutes of action this season, 95 of which have been league minutes in three games.

Now 28, a number of outlets have been reporting that he wants to move back to Arsenal now that he’s slid way down the pecking order at Liverpool but I hardly think that Arsenal will be in any rush to bring him back.

As nice as the Ox is, and I don’t think you’ll find anyone who has a problem with him on that front, his knees are made of putty and don’t seem to have firmed up during his time away.

A knee injury interrupted the Ox’s season start last campaign but, despite returning to fitness in December, Oxlade-Chamberlain didn’t start a single game. In total, he played just 286 minutes last season, with one goal and one assist to show for it.

I think it’s safe to say that the midfielder didn’t really kick on at Liverpool in the way many expected. His goals and assists ratio is slightly worse than it was at Arsenal, although the difference is nominal – 3.8 vs 4 games per goal/or assist.

In the Daily Mail, they claim that Mikel Arteta and Arsenal could really do with the Ox’s help but I’m not sure that’s true. He’s already missed 74 games for Liverpool across four seasons after missing 154 games for Arsenal in six years.

If the club want an injury-prone midfielder, I’d prefer they re-signed Jack Wilshere who, at least, is an Arsenal fan.

As it stands, neither of the former Arsenal men fit the young profile of players Arteta wants to bring in and, after so many years trying to get to the root of Arsenal’s incessant injury problems, I doubt they want to go backwards on that front, either.