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According to reports from The Telegraph, Liverpool are looking to capitalise on Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s contract situation at Arsenal.

Much like team-mates Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil, the England international’s future at the Emirates Stadium remains unclear, with his contract due to expire at the end of next season, and the Reds appear keen to land a promising, young England international – albeit one who hasn’t always delivered since joining the Gunners’ ranks from Southampton in 2011.

However, there is one obvious stumbling block; Arsenal’s apparent £35million valuation of the midfielder, despite his deal winding down and despite him starting just twelve times in the Premier League so far this season.

As a consequence, the latest rumours regarding Liverpool’s interest in the 23-year-old have created quite a stir on social media, with some declaring their faith in Jurgen Klopp’s recruitment and others completely shocked by Oxlade-Chamberlain’s price-tag.

Here’s a look at how Liverpool fans have reacted on Twitter…

Former Tottenham Hotspur striker Teddy Sheringham believes that the team cannot afford to rely on one of their star players to win this weekend’s FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side are heading to Wembley on Saturday as slight underdogs, but they are arguably in better form ahead of the game.

The North London outfit have won their last eight games in all competitions, and in that time have restricted Chelsea’s lead at the top of the Premier League table to four points.

The Blues may be slightly nervous heading into this weekend’s encounter as they are playing on the back of a 2-0 defeat to Manchester United.

Harry Kane and Dele Alli are among the players that have shined individually for Tottenham this season, with the pair first (25) and second (19) in the scoring charts for the club.

However, Sheringham believes that a game of this magnitude requires a strong team performance rather than the reliance on a few star members.

In an interview with Ladbrokes, Sheringham said:

“It’s crucial they stick together as a team because Chelsea are very, very good, they’re very solid as a unit and they’ve got players who perform off of that, players like Eden Hazard. Tottenham have to remember that it won’t be a glimmer of genius from Dele Alli, or Christian Eriksen or a Harry Kane wonder goal which will win this, it will be the whole team.

“Pochettino needs his team – all of them – to produce 8.5/10s this weekend, and he’ll need some 9/10s from one or two to make this a winning team on Saturday.”

After a 25 match unbeaten run in the English Premier League, Manchester United finally came unstuck on Sunday, suffering a 2-0 defeat away to Arsenal.

It’s a result that means United are now in real danger of finishing sixth in the league table with the Gunners now just two points behind with a game in hand on Jose Mourinho’s men.

Granit Xhaka and Danny Welbeck provided the goals for Arsenal that meant Arsene Wenger picked up his first ever competitive win over a Mourinho side.

Mourinho made a massive eight changes for the fixture, clearly fancying his chances of securing UEFA Champions League qualification next season with a UEFA Europa League win rather than shooting for a top four finish in the English top-flight.

There was also a distinct lack of ambition in the fixture from United, who rarely looked like threatening the home side.

To say it’s left Red Devils fans disappointed is an understatement and they haven’t missed with their criticism of Mourinho in the aftermath. Some aren’t convinced his strategy of negative football and banking on the UEFA Europa League is the way forward.

Will the Portuguese be vindicated by the end of the season?

Supporters took to Twitter to share their thoughts…

Few academies in England can claim to have produced future Premier League stars with such consistency as Southampton over the last decade. Arsenal have swooped for practically every Saints teenager to show half a season of decent form, whilst Liverpool are regular shoppers at the St. Mary’s market stall as well. Four Saints academy products have made the last two England squads and a further four have been called up at U21 level since the start of the season.

Many of those success stories stem back to two fateful days in 2005, when Southampton faced Ipswich Town in the final of the FA Youth Cup. Although the young Tractor Boys won the battle – two battles, actually – to win the title 3-2 on aggregate, it was Southampton’s runner-up cast that went onto much bigger and brighter things…

Those who made the top

From the Southampton players involved in both legs, three names inevitably stand out – Theo Walcott Adam Lallana and Gareth Bale. Ironically, the latter duo were excluded from both starting line-ups and had to settle for spots on the bench. Arsenal famously moved for Walcott as a 16-year-old, heralding a shock call-up to Sven Goran Eriksson’s 2006 World Cup squad, and his career since has weaved between relative success with the Gunners and struggling to meet the expectations placed on him as a youngster.

Lallana, meanwhile, helped Southampton charge from League One to the Premier League before earning a big-money move to Liverpool, where he has since established himself as not only a key player for the Reds but also the England national team. Bale, of course, became the most expensive player in the world when he left Tottenham for Real Madrid in summer 2013. He’s since won two Champions League titles.

Those who came close

While they may not have matched Walcott, Lallana and Bale in forging careers at the very top of the game, former youth team-mates Nathan Dyer, Leon Best, Martin Cranie and David McGoldrick have made names for themselves at a decent level. In fact, Dyer boasts one achievement that has thus far evaded the former trio in the Premier League title, being part of the Leicester squad that lifted it in 2015/16 after signing on loan from Swansea.

Best and McGoldrick, on the other hand, have spent most of their careers in the Championship – McGoldrick ironically enjoying the best form of his career for FA Youth Cup final foes Ipswich. Best now plies his trade with the Tractor Boys as well, but is yet to score since signing in August. Cranie, meanwhile, is a classic Football League journeyman, spending spells at Yeovil, Portsmouth, QPR, Charlton Athletic, Coventry, Barnsley and current employers Huddersfield.

Those who went abroad

Having failed to make names for themselves at Southampton, goalkeeper Andy McNeil, substitute Feleciano Condesso, defender Sebastian Wallis-Taylor and midfielder Tim Sparv all sought opportunities abroad. The glovesman returned to his native Scotland to test his luck north of the border, representing most notably Hibernian, Montrose and Livingston before undergoing a short spell in New Zealand with the excellently named Waibop United. He moved back to Scotland after just 15 league games and left Morton in January this year to undertake a coaching role at Guangzhou R&F.

Sparv headed back to Scandinavia with Halmstad and is now at FC Midtyjland – scoring against Southampton and beating Manchester United in the Europa League in 2015. Wallis-Taylor was last heard of in France, captaining Ca Lisieux after moving there in 2009, but details of his career since are hazy. Condesso daringly ventured to the exotic destination of Villarreal, but struggled to make the grade there as well and eventually disappeared into the depths of lower league Portuguese football.

Those who faded away

Whilst Lloyd James went on to enjoy much more success than team-mate Kyle Critchell, both of their careers have headed in the same direction since leaving Southampton – downwards. Whereas James went on to make 85 appearances for Saints at senior level, albeit 30 coming during his final season in League One, Critchell didn’t make a single first-team outing.

He dropped down to League One with Chesterfield in 2007 but after just ten games slid further down the English pyramid, this time joining Weymouth in the Conference Premier. He’s since undergone three more spells with Weymouth, but spent last term with Portland United in the Wessex League. James, on the other hand, has spent his career in League One and League Two, and signed for Exeter City last summer after being released from Leyton Orient.

Those who disappeared off the face of the earth

It’s difficult to get accurate information on what has happened to Sean Rudd and Craig Richards despite both starting for Southampton against Ipswich. Rudd and Richards were both huge characters within Southampton’s youth squad but struggled to make the step up to senior level and after unsuccessful trials with lesser sides, the latter was forced to retire through injury. Richards made a shock move to New Zealand in 2006, going on to represent Sailsbury United and Dandenong Thunder, but has since returned to England, turning out for Brackley Town and Winchester City.

It’s fair to say that Rangers boss Pedro Caixinha hasn’t had the most comfortable relationship with the media in Scotland since arriving in Scotland. Whether that’s down to newspapers and outlets seeking drama or the Portuguese’s no nonsense, open style is down to opinion but what’s inarguable is that his comments continue to dominate the back pages and create controversy.

After a very public spat with Aberdeen boss Derek McInnes last week prior to the Dons’ 2-1 victory at Ibrox, Caixinha is again making waves with his latest comments about Charlie Nicholas.

When asked about criticism the former Celtic striker laid at him and Rangers this season, he’s reported to have said, “who?” The manager went on to say he doesn’t care if no-one likes him as long as he has the support of the club.

Hoops fans haven’t exactly been receptive to his comments in press conferences over the last few months and have generally found humour in things he’s had to say.

That’s no different recently and they took to Twitter to share their thoughts on his recent media appearances…

Chelsea supporters believe that anti-Arsenal fans should be thanking the Blues if it transpires that Arsene Wenger has agreed a new two-year contract at the Emirates.

A handful of media outlets, including BBC Sport, have reported that the Frenchman’s new deal will be announced by Arsenal on Wednesday.

Some of the Gunners’ following have stood by their manager of 21 years, but a large number staged protests throughout the season, urging Wenger to step down.

The club once again failed to maintain a serious title challenge, eventually finishing outside of the Champions League positions in fifth place.

The disappointment of that was masked over slightly when Arsenal won a record 13th FA Cup by defeating Premier League champions Chelsea 2-1 at Wembley last weekend.

BBC Sport claims that Wenger’s future was decided during a meeting between himself and majority shareholder Stan Kroenke on Monday ahead of the board members’ gathering on Tuesday.

Many rival fans are keen for Wenger to stay put as they believe that the Gunners are no longer progressing under his leadership.

As expected, Chelsea supporters are happy about the rumours regarding their London rivals, and some have joked that Antonio Conte’s team allowed Arsenal to win last weekend’s final in order to push through this deal.

Birmingham City manager Harry Redknapp has confirmed to talkSPORT that the club have made an offer to former Chelsea captain John Terry, and Aston Villa fans have had their say.

Various clubs in England have been linked to the defender following his decision to leave the Blues at the end of last season.

Sky Sports reported earlier this week that Terry is considering Villa as   a possible destination after manager Steve Bruce discussed the move while playing golf with the former England skipper in the Algarve at the weekend.

It appears that the Villans’ arch rivals Birmingham want to scupper any potential deal with an offer of their own.

During an interview on talkSPORT, Redknapp revealed:

“We’ve made him a good offer and we have done the best we can. It’s up to John now, but we would love him at Birmingham.”

There is still no indication from Terry where he will play his football next season, and he even admitted to considering retirement.

Villa fans have reacted to the news of Birmingham’s interest, and there has been a very mixed response.

Some are disappointed in the idea of the Blues snatched Terry away, while others never wanted him in the first place.

According to reports in the Daily Star, former Newcastle United boss Alan Pardew could be appointed as the new Sunderland manager if Tony Adams and his consortium complete their takeover at the Stadium of Light.

The Daily Star says that the consortium are lining up an £80m bid for the Mackems, and they believe Pardew is the right man to take them back to the Premier League following their relegation to the Championship after David Moyes quit last month.

Pardew spent four years with the Magpies between 2010 and 2014 – where he had a rocky relationship with the fans – and his last job came in the Premier League with Crystal Palace, where he was sacked in December.

Newcastle supporters were quick to have their say on the rumours via social media, with many understandably delighted at the prospect of a man that proved to be an unpopular figure at St James’ Park taking the reins at their arch-rivals.

Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

For pretty much every Premier League club, this transfer window is all about going big and bold, undertaking expensive overhauls and shopping only in stores where they serve you cups of Guatemalan slow-roasted coffee as you browse. Midfielders with impressive highlight reels are going for £70m. Perfectly decent but unexceptional defenders are the focus of bidding wars far exceeding a small nation’s GDP. Money is being sloshed about with such carefree abandon that it has ceased to be a commodity and is now merely a meaningless number on a balance sheet.

Which makes the top flight club’s snubbing of some outstanding talent in the Championship all the more frustrating, because not only would each of the below significantly improve most squads – from those expected to fight relegation right up to sides eyeing up a Europa League spot – they’ll also knock a few zeros off the fee too.

Tom Cairney (Fulham)

The 26-year-old Scottish international must be wondering what on earth he has to do to secure a dream move. Throughout last season he was one of the Championship’s most consistently brilliant performers, endlessly scheming in the Craven Cottage centre-circle and ultimately boasting stats that saw him prominent in every chart worth its salt. For assists, chances created, and passing accurately Cairney was right up there and though Newcastle reportedly failed with a recent £20m bid surely an improved offer for an attacking midfielder on the cusp of his peak is worth serious consideration?

Jacob Murphy (Norwich City)

He may sound like an Irish ghost sent to haunt Scrooge but the young winger is fast gaining a reputation for skinning full-backs at will and banging in the occasional worldy for good measure. Once again it seems Newcastle are the only club to have shown genuine interest so far though West Brom and Swansea are reportedly ‘keeping tabs’ on one of the brightest stars in the England U21 firmament.

Murphy may still be some distance away from being the finished article but has shown in his breakthrough season at Carrow Road that he possesses every trait to get there sooner rather than later.

Pontus Jansson (Leeds United)

Having just signed a three year deal for the Yorkshire giants following his highly successful loan spell from Torino it would take a hefty bid to lure the Swedish centre-back anywhere else this summer but in comparison to the eye-watering sums being bandied around elsewhere for commanding defenders it would still amount to peanuts.

The twin presence of Jansson at the back and Chris Wood up front helped an otherwise ordinary Leeds side over-achieve last term and knock on the play-off door, and it was notable how quickly the 26-year-old went from cult idol – due to his fully committed style of defending – to gaining sincere admiration for his unquestionable quality.

Tom Lawrence (Ipswich Town)

Okay so we’re muddying the waters a little here because the Welsh wonder is a Leicester City player but it’s in the Championship where Lawrence has carved out his name as an attacking force to be reckoned with first excelling at Blackburn and Cardiff before being a rare cause for excitement at Portman Road last term.

Nine assists and nine goals – including several goal of the season contenders – has seen his value bumped up but the Foxes are still keen to sell and for £10m or under he’d still represent a terrific steal.

Marc Roberts (Barnsley)

The Tykes have a fine pedigree in producing top class defenders and though their present captain isn’t home-grown like John Stones or Mason Holgate it is at Oakwell where the 26-year-old has developed into a superb stopper with the world at his feet.

It feels inevitable that Roberts will move onwards and upwards this summer which makes the speculation surrounding a sideways jump to Birmingham all the stranger. The lad is Premier League quality available at a relative snip and more fool half of the top flight if they eventually spend five times more on inferior fare.

Jonathan Kodjia (Aston Villa)

19 goals in his debut season in the Midlands was a hell of a way for the Ivory Coast international to prove his year at Bristol City was anything but a flash in the pan and though Villa will be banking on him to fire them to promotion in 2017/18 they will be powerless to prevent a sizable bid getting through from one of the big boys.

Having arrived last summer for an initial £11m it would arguably take double that to prise him away  but such is the premium on goals and prolific finishing at the highest level anything under £25m is chicken feed for a forward guaranteed to reach double figures in any league.

According to Don Balon, Manchester United are ready to offer David De Gea to Real Madrid in a bid to land German midfielder Toni Kroos in a sensational swap deal.

What’s the Story?

In this sensational story, Manchester United are reportedly willing to offer Real Madrid David De Gea, in return for Toni Kroos.

While this has all the makings of a blockbuster deal, it seems unlikely that this will materialise and is more than likely a tactic that Mourinho is using, essentially saying to Real Madrid that De Gea is not for sale.

Kroos, who is valued at £62million by Transfermarkt, is arguably the most indispensable player in the Real Madrid team, barring Ronaldo. Almost every play filters through the German midfielder, who creates the tempo of the offence and also offers incomparable passing ability.

How good was Kroos last season?

Exceptional. Featuring in 45 games in all competitions for Real Madrid, the 27-year-old was a constant menace and contributed four goals and an incredible 13 assists to the team.

However, it wasn’t Kroos’ stats sheet that impressed the most. Instead, it was the former Bayern Munich stars’ immaculate passing, set-piece taking and game control that showed why he is one of the best in the world.

Can Manchester United afford to lose De Gea?

Simply put, no and they are unlikely to this summer. While it is well known that Real Madrid are desperate to land the Spanish goalkeeper, Jose Mourinho will not bow to the pressure and will hold onto his prized asset for as long as possible.