Premier League outfit, Stoke City failed to impose any sort of an invigorating challenge in earning a place in the top half of the league table last season. The Potters didn’t look very convincing whilst plying their trade and the summer transfer window hasn’t proved to be very kind to them either as their creative forward in the form of Marko Arnautovic packed his bags and left for West Ham United.
After finishing 13th in the league table, Mark Hughes has to sign some more than decent players this summer in order to better the chances of his team finishing in the top half of the table and to instil a sense of confidence amongst the fans and his squad.
Hughes is believed to be in the pursuit of doing so, considering one of the latest reports which state that Stoke City are plotting an audacious £25million bid to sign Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain from the Emirates Stadium.
Chamberlain has been one of the most sought after prospects for many top quality sides, with the likes of Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool very keen on landing him. The English international has just one year left in his contract with Arsenal. Besides, owing to the star-studded line-up the Gunners boast of, Chamberlain is likely to aim for bettering his chances of plying his trade on a regular basis, and thus, a move might be on the cards.
The former Southampton man is undoubtedly a player of fine calibre and his versatility of being able to be efficient while being pencilled in a wide array of positions is one of his strongest suits. He is an excellent dribbler and an intelligent passer of the ball and his confidence while holding the ball is simply exemplary. Besides, he loves to cut inside and have a go at the opposition goalkeepers and his raw pace certainly gives him a cutting edge.
The 23-year-old mustered 29 appearances (13 of which were from off the bench) in the Premier League with the North London outfit last season, during which he scored 2 goals and registered 7 assists. Chamberlain is still young but has notable experience of English top flight and with the World Cup due to be held next year, a move to Stoke wouldn’t be a bad choice by any stretch of the imagination.
Regular football is the call for the hour considering there is a World Cup happening next year and he can be a more than able replacement for the enigmatic Arnautovic
Statistics Credits: Whoscored