Liverpool

Liverpool

Premier League • England

John Aldridge backs Oxlade-Chamberlain sale to end Liverpool weakness ‘everyone’ can see

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain on the ball for Liverpool

Liverpool need to sell Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain this summer and invest the funds on revamping their midfield, according to John Aldridge.

The 28-year-old had a fantastic debut season at Anfield, featuring in some memorable occasions. He scored against Manchester City in the 4-3 Premier League win and also netted in the Champions League tie between the sides.

It therefore looked like he had cemented his place in Jurgen Klopp’s team. That was until his nasty knee injury in May 2018 kept him out for most of the 2018/19 campaign.

And despite another upturn in fortunes in 2019/20, Oxlade-Chamberlain has struggled to hit his previous heights. His contract expires next summer and it remains unclear if he will renew.

As a result, former Liverpool forward Aldridge has backed the Reds to let him move on.

What’s more, Aldridge backed Liverpool – who have had links with Monaco’s Aurelien Tchouameni – to reinvest in their team.

“It looks like Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain might be leaving Liverpool in the summer,” the 63-year-old wrote in a Liverpool Echo column.

“Whether the club can afford to, even though he hasn’t been involved when he perhaps might think he should have. It looks like he might be one of the ones that moves on.

“He’s still relatively young in football terms at 28-years-old, he’s still got years left in him.

“But he needs game time and he’s not getting it at Liverpool, so I just wish him all the best because he’s done well for the club.

“I hope he finds a really good club and does well in the future, and that Liverpool get the right money for him to put back into the team because we need strengthening in midfield, everyone knows that.”

Oxlade-Chamberlain passed by at Liverpool

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Liverpool midfielder, during Premier League game against Norwich

With Liverpool still chasing an unprecedented quadruple, Oxlade-Chamberlain has not played since March 20.

That was the FA Cup quarter-final win over Nottingham Forest. In fact, the midfielder has not made any of the last three match day squads. He has also only made the bench for two of the last six games.

His lack of game time has come due to manager Klopp preferring Fabinho, Jordan Henderson and Thiago Alcantara as his senior trio in midfield.

Oxlade-Chamberlain has had to battle with Naby Keita and Curtis Jones in the subsequent pecking order.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain ready to leave Liverpool this summer

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain ready to leave Liverpool this summer

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is ready to leave Liverpool this summer and has interest from Newcastle, West Ham and other Premier League teams

Keita and Oxlade-Chamberlain have proven injury prone in recent seasons. Keita, though, has come to the fore this season and established himself with a brilliant run of games and performances.

Meanwhile, Klopp seems to prefer Jones ahead of Oxlade-Chamberlain as it stands. It was Jones and Keita who got into the side alongside Fabinho at Aston Villa last Tuesday when Klopp rested Henderson and Thiago.

Below the more senior crop of midfielders at Liverpool, Harvey Elliott also has an exciting future role under Klopp.

As such, Oxlade-Chamberlain’s time seems to be up and he could indeed do with a move to get his career back on track.