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.

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 is averaging 5.1 attempted dribbles per 90 minutes of league football. In truth, that number could be indicative of a dip in confidence—perhaps brought about by his injury troubles.

Michael Regan/Getty Images

For most players, 5.1 attempted dribbles per 90 would be a barometer of fearlessness, but for the 22-year-old it is the lowest average number he has attempted in his time at Arsenal. Last season he attempted an average of 7.5 succeeding with 5 of them.

In the 2014/15 UEFA Champions League he was even more dribble happy, attempting an average of 8.2 per 90, succeeding with 5.7.

To set these numbers into some context, Anthony Martial—the United player statistically most inclined to take on an opponent with the ball at his feet—has attempted 6.4 dribbles per 90 minutes of Premier League football this season, succeeding with 2.9 of those attempts. 

So Oxlade-Chamberlain loves to run with the ball and is pretty good at it.

Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images

Putting up big numbers of dribbles, of course, is not an end in itself. However, it can offer a tactical advantage.

In January 2016, Wenger addressed this and told the official Arsenal website: 

"

He has the attributes to play in central midfield, he has that important quality—a little surge to get out of pressure.

One of the things to get out of pressure is to have a little dribble to get away from the guy who closes you down and nobody has that more than Oxlade-Chamberlain.

That is why he could be suited for the modern game because he has that capacity to get out of the pressure.

That is why I played 4-3-3 [against Sunderland on 9 January] because he is really suited to be right-sided, box to box in a 4-3-3—he really fits in there.

"

Of course, if Oxlade-Chamberlain had made himself an indispensable right-sided box-to-box midfielder, it seems unlikely Wenger would be prepared to let him leave. There are weaknesses to the 22-year-old's game, too.

The first of these is a lack of productivity and output. In 125 Premier and Champions League appearances for Arsenal, Oxlade-Chamberlain has scored just 10 goals and provided just 10 assists.

There is some mitigation here. Firstly, he joined the Gunners in 2011 at just 17 years old, as one for the future rather than the finished product. Secondly, a good number of those appearances have been as a substitute.

However, even with those caveats in mind, the fact he has played 297 minutes of football for every goal or assist he has contributed in Arsenal colours is not a great endorsement of his output.

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Another significant factor is his injury history. According to Transfermarkt.co.uk, Oxlade-Chamberlain has missed 82 games with injury since the start of the 2012/13 season, in 10 separate instances.

His longest injury-free spell came at the start of the 2014/15 season when it took until January for him to get his first knock, but from then until the end of the campaign he was rarely available. As a consequence of that and its impact on his development, the 1,495 minutes he played that season are the most he has played in a league season.

To return to the positives, while his assist numbers remain moderate, he has proved a consistent creative force in terms of the number of key passes he creates.

In the 2014/15 season he averaged 2.1 key passes per 90 minutes of league football—of which 1.8 were from short passes—part of "nice, intricate passing movements" he discussed above. This season there has been a slight drop to 1.8 per 90, but that is still better than any United player with more than five appearances to his name. 

How his injury issues will progress through his career and the impact they will have on his development remains uncertain. What is certain, however, is that there is a place for him in United's side in terms of the gaps in their squad.

Matthew Ashton - AMA/Getty Images

The right-attacker spot in either a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 is not nailed down. This season, those duties have generally been shared between Juan Mata and Jesse Lingard.

Mata has, for the most part, looked like a No. 10 playing out of position. Lingard has largely looked a useful but limited option, offering superb off-the-ball movement and an occasional goal threat, but rarely looking like an outstanding player.

He might feel harshly done by if his place was taken by Oxlade-Chamberlain. This would not be equivalent to United bringing in, say, Gareth Bale to take up that spot, rather it would be gambling on the future development of a player whose career seems to have stalled somewhat at Arsenal. 

There are too many caveats about Oxlade-Chamberlain to make him a sure bet, but there is plenty of talent there.

Wherever he ends up, it will be intriguing to see how his career unfolds.

All advanced statistics per WhoScored.com.