Jurgen Klopp has snatched the Arsenal star from under Chelsea’s noses after the Premier League champions agreed their own deal to sign Oxlade-Chamberlain earlier this week for a fee of £35m.
The 24-year old has attracted interest from defending champions Chelsea early in the window. But rumour has it that he was stalling a move just for the Reds to swoop him from under the radar.
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Provided Oxlade-Chamberlain passes his medical he is expected to sign a five-year contract. The England forward is set to earn £120,000 a week at Anfield, which is £60,000 a week less than Arsenal offered in a new deal.
The arrival of Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil sent the Ox onto the bench. The lack of opportunities at Arsenal was so frustrating for him to take a 1/3rd pay cut to move to Anfield.
This ends the Southampton youth academy’s 7 year stint at Arsenal, where he matured as a player and earned his first England call-up.
The England midfielder has not selected a squad number as yet – he has requested more time to consider the options.
The deal takes Liverpool’s spending in this transfer window to around £130 million, at least, although RB Leipzig’s Naby Keita will not join until next year and Dominic Solanke’s price is to be determined by tribunal.
Chelsea on the other hand have been left frustrated by the snub. They will hope to end this window on a high with the successful pursuit of Fernando Llorente, although Spurs seemed to be interested in the Spaniard as well.
Oxlade-Chamberlain said. “Firstly, I’m delighted to have signed for Liverpool and a big thank-you to everyone here at the FA that has made this possible, using the facilities. It has been a massive help.”
Jurgen Klopp expressed his delight in the club’s fifth signing of the season as well.
“I am really, really happy we have got Alex signed. Since the last game I have been waiting and hoping we could make this transfer – and when I got the news he was ours it was fantastic.
“I remember the first time I saw him play live – it was at Dortmund in 2014 and he came on as a sub that day and made a big impact. He stood out immediately because of his pace and skills and his attitude in such a big game for a young player; I remember him chasing back to make a brilliant challenge on Mkhitaryan in the box to save a certain goal.
“We won that game but lost the return match at Arsenal when he started and played well, I think he hit the post. Since then I have followed him and when I heard it may be possible to sign him I didn’t need to think twice.”
