Manchester United Transfer News: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Chris Smalling Rumours

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho is reportedly eyeing a £30 million summer swoop for Arsenal midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, with the Gunners keen to see Chris Smalling move the other way.

According to Steve Bates of the Sunday People (h/t the Sunday Mirror), United boss Jose Mourinho "wants to beef up his midfield and wide options this summer having sold winger Memphis Depay to Lyon and Morgan Schneiderlin to Everton during the January window." As a result, the versatile England international is said to have emerged as a target.

It's added that Arsenal are also ready to "firm up" their interest in Smalling in the summer having long admired the centre-back.

Jean Catuffe/Getty Images

Oxlade-Chamberlain's position at the Emirates Stadium has always been a topic of debate. The 23-year-old arrived at the club in 2011 with a reputation as one of the brightest prospects in the game, and while he's turned in some scintillating performances down the years, he's struggled to find consistency.

He's also failed to nail down a regular position. Per Squawka Football, recently the England international has looked more comfortable when deployed in the middle of the field:

However, Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has utilised Oxlade-Chamberlain frequently on both flanks, often as an impact substitute. The midfielder is getting to a stage in his career when he needs to refine his talents and kick on. Consequently, the chance of a fresh start elsewhere at another big club may appeal to him.

A move to United would surely prompt similar problems for the player, though. While Mourinho would cherish Oxlade-Chamberlain's industry, dynamism and adaptability, it's tough to see where he would fit into the team's starting XI. 

If Oxlade-Chamberlain does want to re-energise his career away from the Emirates Stadium, he may have to consider moving to a less illustrious outfit.

Luke Shaw Going Nowhere

Matthew Ashton - AMA/Getty Images

Mourinho has insisted out-of-favour left-back Luke Shaw will not be sold this summer despite speculation surrounding his future.

"He will be here for sure," the United boss said when asked about a possible sale, per Joe Bernstein of MailOnline. "[Leaving] is out of the question."

The Portuguese went on to explain his reasons for not utilising Shaw in recent weeks; the 21-year-old has only made six Premier League starts all season.

"What I think is that he had a very ugly injury, really ugly," Mourinho said. The United boss continued:

"

That affects players, not only from the physical point but also the mental impact. He has had a couple of small injuries this season and needs to adapt. He knows what I like in a defender, he knows that I like stability, that I don't like mistakes, that for me it is to trust a player totally and he has to work to get it.

"

Jean Catuffe/Getty Images

After recovering from a broken leg, it was anticipated that Shaw would re-establish himself in the United team and recapture the sparkling form he showcased to begin the 2015-16 season. But as noted by Samuel Luckhurst of the Manchester Evening News, his predicament is pretty bleak and seems to be worsening:

United have utilised Daley Blind, Matteo Darmian and Marcos Rojo on the left of the defence ahead of the England man at times this season.

Given the Red Devils are performing well, Shaw will have to be patient and wait for his opportunity to arise. However, given his injury issues and his age, it's important he starts to feature more frequently if he's to make good on his sky-high potential.