Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain joined Liverpool from Arsenal on transfer deadline day (Picture: Getty)

Arsene Wenger admits he was forced into selling Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in the summer given the number of Arsenal stars who were in similarly precarious contract situations.

After six years of largely unfulfilled promise in north London, the England international opted to seek a fresh challenge and completed a £35million move to Anfield on deadline day.

Oxlade-Chamberlain had only one-year left on his Arsenal contract and with Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez in identical predicaments, Wenger admitted he had to let one of the three go.

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Wenger said: ‘He had one year to go. At the start of the season, we had four players with one year to go. I wanted him to extend his contract, yes.

‘He decided to go. We respect that but at the end of the day, I decided to sell.

‘We respect his decision & that’s absolutely normal & I have no problem with that.

‘What’s important is that the players make a good career, preferably in your club.

‘If it doesn’t happen, you still want them to have a good career.’