The Anfield Wrap’s Gareth Roberts has labelled reports around Liverpool midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s future lack much sense, as speculation surrounding the 27-year-old’s Reds career grows.
Reds legend John Barnes recently urged the midfielder to seek a move away.
Chamberlain has been at Liverpool since August 2017, when he joined Jurgen Klopp’s side from Arsenal for a reported £35million.
However, numerous injuries during his Anfield career so far have hindered his progression as he has found it hard to fight his way back into the side. As a result, he only played 13 times in the Premier League last season.
Although he only racked up 244 minutes in those 13 Premier League outings, Roberts has jumped to the defence of the £16.2m-rated Englishman insisting that he should be given another chance at Anfield.
Speaking to The Anfield Wrap YouTube channel, he had this to say on the future of Oxlade-Chamberlain:
“Oxlade-Chamberlain, he was knocking about, but you just wonder [why] it was that [Jurgen Klopp] didn’t turn to him, like he didn’t really turn to him even off the bench. And it was like, well, what is that; is it just a lack of much fitness, match sharpness? And then he scores that lovely goal as well at the end of the season and it was like a little reminder of what he can do.
“And he’s 26, you know, so he’s another one that he’s not shot, he had a new contract not too long back as well. And again, if we’re being clever in the transfer market, which we broadly are, then it doesn’t really make any sense to cash in on him either, because his stock is not particularly high at the moment, you wouldn’t think.”
TIF Thoughts on the future of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain…
Although it has been an up and down career at Anfield for Oxlade-Chamberlain so far, there is no doubting his quality when he’s fit and healthy. He played an integral part in Liverpool’s run to the Champions League final in 2018, as well as on the road to their first Premier League triumph in 2020.
With two years left on his current deal at Anfield, this upcoming season could be a defining one for the former Arsenal man, as Jurgen Klopp will be hoping that he can rely on Oxlade-Chamberlain in the upcoming campaign as they look to fill the void left by Georginio Wijnaldum, who left Merseyside for PSG.