- Oxlade-Chamberlain opens up on Liverpool exit
- Criticised the club’s handling of his departure
- Spent six seasons there before leaving in 2023
Oxlade-Chamberlain swapped Arsenal for Liverpool in 2017 and went on to make 146 appearances for the club, scoring 18 goals along the way. Although the Gunner acknowledged having a good relationship with then-Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, he criticised the club for poor communication following his exit.
Oxlade-Chamberlain won five trophies during his time at Anfield, including the Champions League in 2019 and the Premier League in 2020, with his most productive season being the 2019-20 campaign, where he made 43 appearances and scored eight goals. However, his tenure with the Reds was consistently riddled with injuries. Now, the 32-year-old claims he was told he’d be leaving the club just three days before it was officially announced to the public. He received a send-off at Anfield during the final home game of the 2022-23 season, along with James Milner, Roberto Firmino, and Naby Keita, before joining Besiktas as a free agent later that summer. But it seems he wanted things to be handled a bit better.
Speaking in an interview with The Athletic Oxlade-Chamberlain said: “It was never said. I obviously got the picture. I got told before they released the statement: ‘Just so you know, we’re putting this out about you, Milly, Bobby and Naby leaving’. And I was like, ‘Oh, OK. Thanks’. But there was nothing official at any point before. It was just… the silence was enough to know what the situation was.
“I want to be the best person to everyone around me and a good person to have around the lads, the staff, stuff like that. You just expect certain things to be told – whether it’s good, bad, whatever, that’s how the game goes. The lack of communication was a bit surprising.
“[He and Klopp] had a good relationship. There was never any falling-out or anything like that. I understand as a manager it’s not easy to navigate every player’s needs, but when I was playing, I definitely enjoyed him a lot more than when I wasn’t even on the bench! But that’s how it goes.”
The former England international’s stint in Turkey hasn’t gone to plan, with the player being frozen out by ex-head coach Giovanni van Bronckhorst – now Arne Slot’s assistant at Liverpool. He had more opportunities under the Dutchman’s successor, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, before his contract was terminated by Besiktas in July. Since then, the former Southampton wonderkid has been linked with a return to the Premier League, as Leeds United have been reported to be interested in signing him. Championship side Birmingham City are also believed to be keen on securing the midfielder’s services but for now, his search for a new club continues.
