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Topics: Liverpool, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
Chris Stonadge
Liverpool are not expected to offer Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain a new contract before its expiration next summer.
The £35m signing has genuinely struggled with injuries in his five-year stint at Anfield, having suffered two major blows which kept him out of the side for almost two full seasons.
He hasn’t featured this term either having been sidelined and isn't set to return until the end of October, although he was expected to be limited to purely cup minutes and occasional cameos anyway due to the competitive nature of Liverpool’s midfield.
The former Arsenal midfielder is not regarded as a key man by Jurgen Klopp despite calling him "very very good" when he signed.
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However, the club are unlikely to sell him in January as they need him for cover, according to Football Insider.
When asked about Oxlade-Chamberlain’s future this time last year, Klopp hinted that the parties ‘wouldn’t stay together forever’.
"I think it is a completely normal situation," Klopp told the Guardian when asked about the 28-year-old's deal.
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"It is about what makes sense for both sides in six or 18 months or whatever. But it is not important at all at the moment."
" In this moment what is important is how do you contribute when you play? That is the only thing.
"We will not stay together forever. That is how it is. If someone wants to go somewhere else we have to find a solution for it. If we want to find somebody from another club we have to find a solution for it – all these kind of things.
"But it has nothing to do with now. It’s about how you play in the moment and then you are in the starting lineup.”
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Oxlade-Chamberlain enjoyed his best spell in the season he joined Liverpool, filling the shoes of the departing Philippe Coutinho exceptionally during early 2018. This was typified by two thunderstrikes in different games against Manchester City.
133 appearances in six years, after the fee paid, struggles to be deemed a success. But he will always be fondly remembered on Merseyside, with his character unquestionable.