The England winger feels he must leave Arsenal to continue his development (Picture: Getty)

Liverpool are making a huge push to try and sign Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain ahead of Chelsea and the Arsenal squad now believe he will move to Anfield.

The 24-year-old is old of contract next summer and, having rejected a £180,000-a-week new deal, is likely to be sold this summer with Arsenal unwilling to risk losing him for nothing in a years’ time.

Both Chelsea and Liverpool are vying for his signature, and it had been assumed that Antonio Conte was the favourite to land the winger in a £35 million deal.

Oxlade-Chamberlain could be dropped for the Liverpool match amid the speculation (Picture: Getty)

However, according to the Mirror, Liverpool have upped the ante and are aggressively pursuing a deal for Oxlade-Chamberlain.

A deal is harder for Liverpool to do due to a breakdown in relations between the Reds and Arsenal following the transfer saga that engulfed Luis Suarez back in 2013.

Wenger has changed his stance and will now allow Oxlade-Chamberlain to leave (Picture: Getty)

Nevertheless, Oxlade-Chamberlain’s teammates think he is more likely to choose Liverpool over Chelsea, where he would play in his preferred attacking role rather than vie with Victor Moses for the right wing-back role.

Although Wenger has previously insisted that Oxlade-Chamberlain would not be sold, that stance has now changed after the youngster told him face-to-face that he wants to leave.

The England international feels his Three Lions career, and his general development, would both be better served away from the Emirates.

Liverpool’s move for Oxlade-Chamberlain could see him left out of the team that takes on Arsenal at the weekend, with Wenger likely to remove him from the firing line with his future in doubt.

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