Stoke City boss Tony Pulis admits he tried to sign Arsenal superkid Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Pulis' son was at Southampton as Oxlade-Chamberlain was coming through.

He said: "Anthony was there as a player and he told me about him.

"They were all talking about Adam Lallana and he said Chamberlain was the one. That was when the kid was 16. He said he was absolutely fantastic and his attitude was spot on. He thought he was going to be top draw.

"I put the feelers out and found four of the top clubs had already been sniffing around him and realised we didn't have a chance.

"Once they have been in and made enquiries it is all over for us."