Scouting Manchester United Transfer Target Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain

In one of the more surprising transfer rumours of recent years, Arsenal’s Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has been linked with a move to Manchester United.

Peter O’Rourke of ESPN FC has reported that United are “ready to join the chase for Arsenal winger,” while Henry Winter of the Times claims that Manchester City are keen on his services.

O’Rourke also noted a link with Liverpool in March, and Darren Lewis of the Mirror reported that the player had been offered to West Ham United.

Arsenal’s Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain being monitored by #MUFC – source: https://t.co/BSBrQCgVxS pic.twitter.com/81MAk6VZJR

— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) April 25, 2016

If United, City and Liverpool in particular are after him it would make Oxlade-Chamberlain a pretty hot property and call into question any decision by Arsene Wenger to make him available.

So why would Wenger be ready to give up on the England international? And why would teams with ambitions at the highest levels in club football be reportedly interested in helping the Arsenal manager move him along?

Let’s take a look at his strengths and weaknesses, and where he could fit into United’s first XI.

In a 2013 interview with Arsenal’s website, Oxlade-Chamberlain said of his own strengths: 

I think the fans know what I’m all about. I try to get on the ball and make something happen. That’s usually dribbling with the ball, running at defenders, taking players on and trying to open teams up. I have done that in the past and I will continue to do that, whether I’m playing down the wing or more centrally.

I don’t know yet where I will play but I will always have that aspect to my game, wherever I play. That and my passing is something that I’ve being working on a lot and something that I’ve always thought I’m good at. Maybe I haven’t been able to show it as much on the wing because you don’t tend to get on the ball as much in that position. So if I do play more centrally at times this season, my passing is one of my strengths I think.

He added:

I do like to have a shot. Arsenal are all about nice, intricate passing movements around the box, so if I shoot too much from outside the box without scoring the boss will have a go at me! I need to stick to the short passes, so I don’t shoot as much now. But I really love running with the ball too, taking players on – that’s a massive part of my game as well.

The numbers back up at least some of his assertions.

Oxlade-Chamberlain certainly loves to run with the ball. In 2015/16 he …

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