Football journalist, Jonathan Northcroft, believes that Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain could sign for Liverpool despite the Reds’ interest in Roma’s Mohamed Salah.
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Northcroft claims that the Ox could be a Liverpool player this summer as, despite interest in Salah, Jurgen Klopp really rates the 23-year-old.
“Just because Liverpool have signed Salah doesn’t mean they won’t also sign Oxlade-Chamberlain. Klopp likes him a lot,” the journo told the Liverpool Echo‘s latest podcast [via AnfieldHQ].
Arsenal were recently reported to be ready to offer the Ox a brand new deal, which would see him earn £100k-per-week, with his current contract set to run out next year. However, along the way, something appears to have changed and now the press appear to be leaning towards the midfielder leaving.
Arsene Wenger has spoken about his desire to keep the England international at Arsenal more than once. However, it does appear that his agent is trying to play hardball. Whether that’s for a better deal at Arsenal or elsewhere remains to be seen.
“I personally think it is vital that Chamberlain stays at Arsenal,” Wenger told Arsenal.com back in April. “We bought him when he was very young, we have built him up and I think he has a great mentality and a good football brain. It would be a big damage for us to lose this kind of player.
“He can lose balls but defensively he is strong in the challenge when he wants to switch on. He has that kind of robustness to deal with body-to-body which is very important in the Premier League.
“When I didn’t play Ozil I had to find a combination with Alex in central midfield. He is offensive and you can see as well he is a guy who can get out of pressure. He has a dribbling skill and acceleration that can get you out of pressure.
“He can penetrate, and in midfield that is important. I felt as well sometimes on the flank he is out of the game but in the middle he is more focused. He needs to be involved in the game.”
Apparently, the 23-year-old is unhappy with his lack of playing time, despite him spending a whopping 154 days out injured since signing for the Gunners from Southampton in 2011.
Chelsea have also been linked but the chances of Arsenal actually selling to a rival again are (hopefully) slim.