Jamie Carragher sends message to Liverpool fans about Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
The Liverpool legend sends a message to Jurgen Klopp about new signing Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
Jamie Carragher admits he is scratching his head to work out where Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will slot in the Liverpool team.
The England midfielder completed a £40m move to the Merseyside outfit from their title rivals Arsenal on transfer deadline day.
Liverpool have made Oxlade-Chamberlain one of the best paid players at the club after seeing off competition from Premier League champions Chelsea.
The 24-year-old is rumoured to have been reluctant to sign a contract extension with Arsenal or move to Chelsea because both Arsene Wenger and Antonio Conte wanted to play him in a wing-back role.
Given Liverpool won the race to sign the England international, Oxlade-Chamberlain is thought to have been promised the chance to play in an orthodox midfield role at Anfield.
Oxlade-Chamberlain will have to dislodge Emre Can, Jordan Henderson or Georginio Wijnaldum to get into Klopp’s team ahead of the return of Philippe Coutinho and Adam Lallana from injury.
Former Liverpool defender Carragher expressed his doubts about how Klopp will use Oxlade-Chamberlain in his Liverpool side given the competition for places.
“He talks a lot about wanting to play in central midfield, so that will be interesting to see how that one plays out because Liverpool have got five or six central midfielders who are really good,” Carragher told Sky Sports.
“I am not sure if Oxlade-Chamberlain would get in that midfield three if everyone is fit. You still have Coutinho and Lallana to come back to the players who performed so well at the weekend. So it remains to be seen how that one will work.
“He is a good player for the squad at this moment, but central midfield, I am still scratching my head on that one. But with Jurgen Klopp buying him with only 12 months left on his contract, there must certainly be a plan in place for where he is going to play and fit in.
“I am interested to see how that one works out.”
Liverpool have already signed AS Roma winger Mohamed Salah, Chelsea teenager Dominic Solanke and Hull City defender Andy Robertson.
Naby Keita has also agreed to move to Liverpool next summer in a club-record deal from RB Leipzig.
