Arsenal’s Oxlade-Chamberlain Completes £35m Move To Liverpool
Liverpool have completed the £35m signing of England midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain from rival club Arsenal on Thursday.
The 24-year-old who plays as a winger for the Gunners passed a medical on Wednesday after the club accepted Liverpool’s bid for a player who made it clear he would not extend his contract at the Emirates Stadium beyond next summer.
Advertisement
The English star rejected a move to Chelsea on Tuesday after a fee had been agreed, will now join on a five-year contract worth £120,000 a week at Anfield.
Oxlade-Chamberlain has made 198 appearances for Arsenal since joining Arsene Wenger’s side from Southampton in August 2011, scoring 20 goals.
So far this summer, Liverpool have signed winger Mohamed Salah from Roma for £34m, full-back Andrew Robertson from Hull for £8m and striker Dominic Solanke after his contract at Chelsea expired.
Red’s manager Jürgen Klopp expressed his delight at adding the English-man to his Liverpool project, three years after first noticing his talents during a Champions League game as Borussia Dortmund manager.
Advertisement
“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. The manager told Liverpoolfc.com
“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.
“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.
Advertisement
“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. I welcome him to the Liverpool family.”
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) August 31, 2017
