Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain looks set to complete a sensational move to Liverpool before the end of the summer transfer window.
Arsenal had reportedly agreed a £40m fee with their London rivals, only for the player to turn down the move.
The BBC reported that the reason was that he wanted to play in central midfield and Chelsea were set to play him at wing-back.
Now the BBC have reported that Liverpool have agreed a £40million fee for the player and that it would have been a club-record fee had Liverpool not just announced a £48million move for RB Leipzig’s Naby Keita.
Keita won’t make the move to Anfield until next summer.
Former Liverpool striker Stan Collymore took to Twitter after the news broke to give his opinion on the huge deal.
He said that he respected Oxlade-Chamberlain’s desire to play in central midfield, but said that he’d have to improve his consistency.
Fair play to Ox for competing for CM rather than be utility wide man. Not convinced about consistency but sure JK will give him his chance.
— Stan Collymore (@StanCollymore) August 30, 2017
Collymore also said that Oxlade-Chamberlain must be looking to replace Jordan Henderson in the Liverpool team, with Emre Can “growing” and Georginio Wijnaldum adding “late runs”.
He also said that he would have to add more goals to his game but hoped that as an English player, he would succeed.
Must have Henderson in his sights IMO. Can as predicted is growing, Wijnaldum adds late runs.Henderson or Ox competing against each other. https://t.co/Y55zRXten3
— Stan Collymore (@StanCollymore) August 30, 2017
Will have to improve on 9 goals in 170 odd games to oust any of current #LFC MF, hope as an English player he does. Club wins, country wins.
— Stan Collymore (@StanCollymore) August 30, 2017
When a fan responded to say that he thought Oxlade-Chamberlain would replace either Can or Wijnaldum, Collymore simply responded by saying “no chance either unless there’s injury or serious poor form”. he said he could play the pivot role though.
Not a chance he'll displace either unless there's injury or serious poor form. Ox could easily play pivot though. He has the brain. https://t.co/ghBgGAYHeO
— Stan Collymore (@StanCollymore) August 30, 2017
OPINION
Stan Collymore thinks Oxlade-Chamberlain is going to have a tough time asserting himself in the Liverpool line-up. Jordan Henderson is a mainstay at Liverpool and if Wijnaldum and Can are nailed on for the club, Oxlade-Chamberlain has got a battle on his hands. The player himself said it wasn’t about the money, but wanted to play central midfield. For once, it seems a player was telling the truth. The England international snubbed a huge money move to Chelsea where he was likely to play at wing-back to try and break into a team that has dazzling options in attack and midfield. Can he finally deliver what he’s promised in fits and starts at the Emirates? Arsenal fans will probably hope not. If he does catch fire, what’s been a miserable summer will get a whole lot worse for the Gunners.