Stoke City have reportedly opened talks with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s agent over a possible £25 million summer move.
According to The Sun, Mark Hughes’ men have made contact following the departure of Marko Arnautović to West Ham.
The Austrian’s departure means the club are in need of an attacking midfielder, and view the Arsenal star as the perfect replacement.
There is also some confidence they could be able to tempt the Ox, with the promise of regular football.
The England international is into the last year of his contract at Arsenal, which has led to speculation he could choose to leave.
Arsene Wenger has repeatedly insisted he wants the Ox to stay, but he is far from a regular in the team and was used in a variety of positions last season.
Don't Miss:
- ‘Break club record spend or look elsewhere’ Arsenal told
- Arsenal eye player Lionel Messi claimed to be ‘similar to Xavi’
- Arsenal urged to buy ‘January transfer window bargain’ for £6m
Speaking at the beginning of the last campaign, Oxlade-Chamberlain admitted he would consider his future, if he did not feature regularly.
He has been linked with a move to both Liverpool and Chelsea this summer, although there is no guarantee he would be a first choice at either Anfield or Stamford Bridge.
While a move to Stoke would largely be viewed as a step down, it could offer him the chance to play weekly, which could prove tempting, particularly ahead of World Cup 2017.
COMMENTS