Jürgen Klopp has said that Alex Oxlade‑Chamberlain did not make “an easy decision” in leaving Arsenal to become the Liverpool manager’s fourth signing of a demanding summer.
The England midfielder joined Liverpool on deadline day in a deal worth up to £40m having rejected a new contract at Arsenal and the chance to join Chelsea, the champions, for a similar fee. He has signed a five-year contract worth £120,000 a week – significantly less than the 24-year-old would have earned by extending his six‑year spell at Arsenal – and confirmed he chose to work with Klopp because it favoured his development.
Oxlade-Chamberlain followed Mohamed Salah, Dominic Solanke and Andy Robertson as Liverpool’s summer recruits – RB Leipzig’s Naby Keïta has also been signed for next summer – but the club’s interest in the Monaco midfielder Thomas Lemar and the Southampton defender Virgil van Dijk did not produce further deadline-day signings. Monaco, despite entering into late talks with Arsenal over Lemar, resisted all Liverpool enquiries for the 21-year-old and Southampton never entertained the idea of selling Van Dijk to Anfield.
Oxlade-Chamberlain faces fierce competition for a place in Liverpool’s team. But Klopp, who said he was first alerted to the player’s talents during a Champions League tie against his Borussia Dortmund side in 2014, believes the midfielder’s mentality and experience make him a valuable addition.
Klopp said: “I hear a lot of talk about positions but let’s talk about the player; he is someone with really good abilities who always gives everything for his team. A player that is positive and willing to take risks to try and make positive things happen. He may still be young but he has a lot of experience in the Premier League, Champions League and for his country. Already he is a very, very good player and I think he has the mentality and desire to get even better – and that excites me.
“ This is someone making a tough decision to leave one great club and come to another great club and I think he had many options, so to get him means I am delighted. He didn’t make an easy decision but I think he made a great one to go on this journey with this squad of talented boys and our great supporters.”
Oxlade-Chamberlain said he would elaborate more on his Liverpool move after England’s World Cup qualifiers against Malta and Slovakia. In a farewell message to Arsenal via Instagram, he explained he opted to leave to improve as a player. “After six years, three FA Cup wins and countless incredible memories, the time has come for me to move on from Arsenal,” he wrote. “I want to publicly thank Arsène, the coaching and club staff and my amazing team mates for all of the incredible opportunities I have been given.
“Thank you so much to you, the fans, who have always had my back – I honestly couldn’t be more grateful. The club, and my time here, will always mean a massive amount to me. I know my choice might come as a surprise to many, and the decision to leave was tough after being a part of the club for so many years, but I feel this move is right for the next stage in my development.”
Aaron Ramsey expressed sadness at Oxlade-Chamberlain’s departure. “Another of our British boys heading on to new things,” he wrote on Instagram. “Not only have we lost a great player we’ve lost a great guy in the changing room and It is sad to see you go mate.”
Liverpool’s position on Philippe Coutinho did not change – namely he will not be sold to Barcelona – but there were several departures from Anfield on deadline day.
Divock Origi joined Wolfsburg on a season-long loan that will cost the Bundesliga club a £6m arrangement fee. Wolfsburg will also pay the Belgium striker’s wages while he gets the first-team opportunities that Klopp had admitted may not have been available to him at Liverpool this season. The manager insists Origi does have a long-term future at Anfield, however, and the club refused to consider selling the 22-year-old to a Premier League rival.
The defender Mamadou Sakho looked set to complete a permanent move to Crystal Palace for £26m. Liverpool also allowed 20-year-old Brazilian midfielder Allan Rodrigues de Souza to join Apollon Limassol, academy forward Tony Gomes to sign for League Two Forest Green Rovers and the winger Ryan Kent to go to Freiburg, all on season’s loans.