Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain says he could tell ‘right from the off’ that Max Dowman was a ‘proper player’ after being invited back to train with Arsenal this winter.

After his Besiktas contract was terminated by mutual agreement in late August, Oxlade-Chamberlain has been putting in the hard yards to maintain his fitness levels with a view to finding a new club.

Intent on prolonging his playing career, the 32-year-old midfielder decided to reach out to Per Mertesacker, his former Arsenal team-mate, who now works as manager of the club’s academy programme.

Both Mertesacker and Mikel Arteta were immediately perceptive the idea, with Oxlade-Chamberlain confident that the experience could not only benefit himself, but also Arsenal’s younger players.

Oxlade-Chamberlain has gone on to work with

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