Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain could be set for a new role at Liverpool.
The 27-year-old has been a midfielder since joining Liverpool in a £40 million deal from Arsenal four years ago.
But The Echo have reported that the England international has been impressing the Reds’ coaches and Jurgen Klopp could play him further up the field, as either a number 10 or a wide player.
And if you’re Oxlade-Chamberlain, this is the last thing you want to hear.
The former Gunner had a rotten 2020-21 campaign and only started two Premier League games, clocking 243 minutes in total.
One reason for that was Georginio Wijnaldum, who has rendered Oxlade-Chamberlain nothing but a squad player over the past couple of years.
Thing is, Wijnaldum has left Liverpool to join Paris Saint-Germain and Oxlade-Chamberlain will have been hoping to make a big statement to Klopp in pre-season, to remind him that he can replace the Dutchman, if Klopp was thinking about signing somebody.
But this is where the player himself wants to play. A midfield role is the reason why he left the Emirates for Anfield in 2017, telling The Independent in 2020: “I feel a lot of my best performances for Arsenal came in midfield but I never played consistently in that position.”
With Wijnaldum gone, there’s a real window of opportunity for Oxlade-Chamberlain to finally get an extended run in the first XI – in his preferred position.
And with Klopp reportedly having other ideas, Oxlade-Chamberlain could and probably will be angry if it materialises.
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