Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain &#8211; CaughtOffside

Everton close to agreeing deal with Leeds United for their star player

Exclusive: Nothing concrete between Liverpool and 23-year-old talent with €60m release clause

La Liga club open talks with Tottenham as unwanted star close to exit

Oxlade-Chamberlain’s success with Liverpool

Oxlade-Chamberlain joined Liverpool from Arsenal for a £35m fee, and although majority of his time was marred with various injuries, he did play a role in the Reds’ success under Jurgen Klopp.

He made 146 appearances for them, scoring 18 and assisting 15 across all competitions. During his time there, he won the Premier League, Champions League, League Cup and the FA Cup among other trophies.

As Besiktas seeks to find a new home for Oxlade-Chamberlain, it remains to be seen which English club will step up to bring the experienced midfielder back to the Premier League.

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Exclusive: Liverpool feel they’ve done “excellent job” with this area of transfer recruitment, says expert

Mark Brus — Wed, 06 Mar 2024 08:32:56 +0000

Liverpool feel they have done an excellent job with their midfield recruitment in last summer’s transfer window as they rebuilt with four new signings in that area of their squad.

That’s according to transfer news expert Fabrizio Romano, with the journalist explaining that the Reds feel they got a bargain with Alexis Mac Allister in particular, while they also rate Ryan Gravenberch as a top young talent who can reach the highest level in the future.

Speaking exclusively to CaughtOffside for his latest Daily Briefing column, Romano explained that he was really impressed with how Liverpool dealt with this difficult time when it was vital for them to get their recruitment right.

Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all left LFC last summer and it was never likely to be easy completely rebuilding that area of Jurgen Klopp’s squad.

Alexis Mac Allister has proven a superb signing for Liverpool

Still, Mac Allister has been brilliant for Liverpool, while the likes of Gravenberch, Wataru Endo and Dominik Szoboszlai also look like smart additions, all joining without the club needing to spend a fortune.

Liverpool transfer business praised by Romano

“Klopp had to completely rebuild his midfield this season as five players – Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and James Milner – all left the club,” Romano said.

“Four new signings came in, with Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch all joining and looking now like fine business by Liverpool.

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Everton close to agreeing deal with Leeds United for their star player

Exclusive: Nothing concrete between Liverpool and 23-year-old talent with €60m release clause

La Liga club open talks with Tottenham as unwanted star close to exit

“My understanding is that Liverpool are super happy with how they handled this important phase of recruitment. Not just now, but already in September Liverpool felt they did an excellent job. Mac Allister in particular is considered an incredible signing, a bargain considering conditions of the deal.

“And it’s the same with all the other midfielders who joined the club, especially Endo, who was not the biggest name but who has surprised a few people here in England, and they’re also convinced that Gravenberch’s future will be at the very top level as he bounces back from a difficult spell at Bayern Munich.”

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Video: Former Liverpool ace Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain scores the match-winner for Besiktas

Saikat Chatterjee — Mon, 25 Sep 2023 06:05:28 +0000

Former Liverpool midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain joined Turkish outfit Besiktas on a free transfer earlier this summer.

The 30-year-old midfielder needed to leave Liverpool in search of regular football and a move to Turkey could be ideal for him.

Chamberlain struggled for regular game time at Anfield but he has had ample first-team opportunities at Besiktas so far. The midfielder has played 166 minutes of first-team football in three league matches so far and he managed to score the winning goal for his side against Kayserispor yesterday.

Chamberlain did well to find the back of the net from close range in the second half, in what proved to be the winning goal of the game.

Meanwhile in Turkey….

Here is @Alex_OxChambo scoring the winner for Besiktas today. Made up for him

pic.twitter.com/hONO6QmfL1

— The Anfield Wrap (@TheAnfieldWrap) September 24, 2023

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Everton close to agreeing deal with Leeds United for their star player

Exclusive: Nothing concrete between Liverpool and 23-year-old talent with €60m release clause

La Liga club open talks with Tottenham as unwanted star close to exit

The former Liverpool midfielder will be delighted to get his career back on track once again and he will look to build on his impressive start life in Turkey and hold down a regular starting spot for Besiktas. He will also look to get over his injury issues and play more regularly in the coming months.

Video: BeIN Sports

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Collymore’s column: Ten Hag has added a key piece at Man United, watch out for Aston Villa this season, Jordan Henderson has tarnished his Liverpool legacy, and what is Wilfried Zaha doing?

Stan Collymore — Mon, 24 Jul 2023 12:10:24 +0000

In his exclusive column for CaughtOffside, former Liverpool attacker Stan Collymore discusses some of football’s biggest talking points, including the signing of Andre Onana for Man United, what to expect from Aston Villa this season, Jordan Henderson has tarnished his Liverpool legacy with Saudi move and what is Wilfried Zaha doing moving to Turkey? plus more.

Erik ten Hag has added a massive piece of the puzzle to his Man United squad

Since arriving at Man United, the very basics Erik ten Hag has wanted from his team is for everyone to be comfortable on the ball and capable of playing through the lines. Last season, David de Gea was a weakness in that philosophy and now the United manager has got himself a modern goalkeeper who is exceptional with his feet.

In addition to the skills Onana possesses to be a success at Man United, I think at 27, he is young enough to learn about Manchester United as a football club. It will be completely different from where he has come from, with no disrespect to Inter, but the expectation levels at the Premier League giants are enormous; which is something you have to give De Gea credit for after withstanding it for 12 years between the sticks at Old Trafford.

Overall, I believe Onana is a massive piece of the jigsaw for Ten Hag, not just because he can play with his feet, but down the spine of the team you have to have quality players. United have now got a solid goalkeeper, a central defender, a top midfielder in Casemiro, and I think they just need to add a world-class number nine; although, now that he has signed a new contract, it would be great to see Marcus Rashford occupy that role this season at Old Trafford.

Watch out for Aston Villa…

I’ve already booked my flights for the Europa Conference League Final in Athens next May due to my excitement for the upcoming season for Aston Villa.

All jokes aside, I think Unai Emery was massively disrespected as a manager in England following his spell at Arsenal, which was evident in the way people mocked him for the way he spoke etc. It was a massive coup for Aston Villa to get him and from my perspective, you only have to look at the jobs he has done in Spain where he won trophies regularly, to see the potential trajectory of Villa.

Emery now has Monchi with him at the club and that is also a massive addition for Villa as the duo understand each other through the work they have done together in the past.

For the upcoming season, one of Villa’s weaknesses last season was their midfield and it is an area where they needed more flexibility. Bringing in Tielemans was an exceptional piece of business and also Pau Torres, who has the ability to step into that area of the pitch. I have seen that they were linked with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain this morning and I think that would be a good bit of business on a free to add to the depth of the squad and to benefit from his experience.

When I look at Aston Villa now and I think, they have got a squad. It is an exciting club to go to this summer with Emery being there and with European football arriving at Villa Park next season. I believe the club are in a very good position to have a good season and progress further, with the Europa League and Champions League spots being a good place for them to aim for.

What can Unai Emery and Aston Villa achieve this season

What are you doing Wilfried?

At 30 years of age, Wilfried Zaha could have made a significant impact at a Premier League club. I spoke about Aston Villa above, that is a team where Zaha could have fit in nicely. West Ham and Brighton are others to name a few that would have benefitted from the winger’s talents throughout the upcoming season, so why has he gone to Turkey?

The best moment a player like Zaha will have, or anyone going from the Premier League to Turkey, is the reception they will get at the airport from the fans. I don’t mean to be disrespectful, but it is all downhill from there.

Look at when Dele Alli went to Besiktas, great reception but that is as good as it got. I think this move from Zaha is absolute madness. I just don’t understand why he has gone there with his talent. I presume it is for the money but he could have easily got the same in the Premier League.

Henderson has tarnished his legacy and the next Liverpool captain

Following the departure of Jordan Henderson, I feel that Virgil van Dijk should be given the Liverpool captaincy. He is a player that leads by example so for me, he is the obvious choice with Alisson taking the vice-captain role seeing that James Milner has also departed Anfield.

Sticking with Henderson, I am very disappointed in his decision to move to Saudi Arabia after all he has done for the LGBTQ+ community in the past. It leaves a bitter taste in the mouth and I believe it will tarnish his legacy at Liverpool. You can’t say that something is wrong, go out of your way to campaign for it, and then go to a place such as Saudi Arabia that is known to disenfranchise the group of people he was standing up for.

I like Jordan a lot but it is gross hypocrisy. I think a lot of Liverpool fans won’t say anything at the moment after all he has done, but I know a lot of others that are very disappointed in his decision and believe it has tarnished all the good things he has done during his time at Anfield.

Has Jordan Henderson tarnished his Liverpool legacy?

Levi Colwill should have a clear aim this season

“Can be one of the greatest centre-backs in England,” were the words used by Mauricio Pochettino at the weekend when speaking about his defender Levi Colwill. This season is a big one for the 20-year-old and I think a good thing for him to aim for is to try and make it into Gareth Southgate’s team for next summer’s EUROS in Germany.

I think the future is bright for the defender but I am always a bit sceptical about managers saying players will be the greatest this or that. I remember Sir Alex Ferguson saying that Phil Jones was going to go on a be one of the greatest players to ever play for Man United and that never worked out. I think sometimes that can put a lot of pressure on younger players but Pochettino must know Colwill well or has heard things about the player from people around Chelsea to make a comment like that.

Long-term for Colwill, one of the centre-back spots for England should be the aim, and who is to say it won’t be next summer when we see him there?

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Everton close to agreeing deal with Leeds United for their star player

Exclusive: Nothing concrete between Liverpool and 23-year-old talent with €60m release clause

La Liga club open talks with Tottenham as unwanted star close to exit

Is the Chelsea squad too young?

Sticking with Chelsea, a worry I have for them this season is having too many young players. I have seen that they are linked to Crystal Palace’s Micheal Olise, in addition to them trying to bring in Brighton’s Moises Caicedo. In time, Chelsea will have one of the best young squads in Europe, but it takes much more than that to mould them into a battle-hardened, competitive team.

My worry with Chelsea is that there are not enough senior figures around after leaving many of them go over the last few weeks. How many of the ones left are capable of dragging the younger ones through tough moments? I am all for clubs buying young talent and building for the future, but I also feel that it will be two or three years before we see the best out of this Chelsea squad, and will Pochettino get the time to do that?

Body cameras on referees have benefits

Fulham recorded an entertaining 3-2 win over Brentford on Sunday but a talking point from that match for me was seeing the referee wearing a body camera.

I liked the idea because it would give referees the chance to improve by watching their own footage back and in the long run, help them correct their mistakes. I also feel that the introduction of bodycams would kill dissent as you’d be able to hear what players are saying to referees when they approach them, should the footage ever be released.

I don’t know if I would like it in every game, but certainly, every so often I think bodycams should be used with the idea of improving referees through learning through their own mistakes and also helping them to see what they have done correctly.

The post Collymore’s column: Ten Hag has added a key piece at Man United, watch out for Aston Villa this season, Jordan Henderson has tarnished his Liverpool legacy, and what is Wilfried Zaha doing? appeared first on CaughtOffside.

European club wants to make Oxlade-Chamberlain their ‘highest-paid player’ – two other clubs interested

Mehdi Gokal — Sun, 23 Jul 2023 17:43:50 +0000

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, the former Liverpool midfielder, finds himself at the center of a three-way transfer battle, according to the latest report by The Mirror.

The 29-year-old became a free agent after Liverpool decided not to renew his contract at the end of last season. Alongside him, several other players, including James Milner, Naby Keita, and Roberto Firmino, also became free agents due to the club’s decision.

The former Arsenal midfielder is now free to agree a deal with any club he likes and as per the report, he has become the latest player to be linked with a move to Saudi Arabia.

Brentford are mentioned as another club who are strongly interested in signing the experienced midfielder on a one-year deal similar to the one they offered Christian Eriksen.

Turkish giants Besiktas are also keen on securing his services with the report claiming that they are ready to make the midfielder their ‘highest-paid player’.

Naby Keita alongside Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain

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Everton close to agreeing deal with Leeds United for their star player

Exclusive: Nothing concrete between Liverpool and 23-year-old talent with €60m release clause

La Liga club open talks with Tottenham as unwanted star close to exit

During his successful six-year spell at Liverpool, Oxlade-Chamberlain played a crucial role in their triumphs, which included winning the Premier League and the Champions League.

In 146 appearances across all competitions, he contributed with 18 goals and 15 assists, leaving a lasting impact on the club’s recent successes.

It remains to be seen whether he stays in Europe or joins the list of players that have moved to Saudi Arabia to play in the Saudi Pro League.

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Liverpool could land PSG midfielder with acceptable offer

Jason Pettigrove — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 07:21:19 +0000

Once the deals to take Jordan Henderson and Fabinho to the Saudi Pro League have been confirmed, Liverpool will be in a race against time to secure one or two replacements ahead of the new Premier League season.

The 2023/24 campaign kicks off in three week’s time, and Jurgen Klopp surely can’t countenance being in a position of not having brought in at least one more player in the middle of the park.

Aside from Henderson and Fabinho, the German has also lost James Milner, Naby Keita, Arthur Melo and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain over the summer.

A particular profile of player would be required as a replacement; someone who has top-flight experience, is combative and can hold a midfield together when under pressure.

Marco Verratti in action for PSG

That description fits the occasionally hot-headed Marco Verratti, and as The Guardian (subscription required) report, the 30-year-old Italian will be available this summer at the right price.

The outlet suggest that he is a potential target for the Reds, albeit there have been no formal discussions at this stage.

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La Liga club open talks with Tottenham as unwanted star close to exit

Jul 22 2024, 21:10

Everton close to agreeing deal with Leeds United for their star player

Jul 22 2024, 21:02

Exclusive: Nothing concrete between Liverpool and 23-year-old talent with €60m release clause

Jul 22 2024, 20:35

With so many of PSG big star’s departing or looking to leave in 12 month’s time, it seems clear that the French champions are looking for a change of direction on the pitch.

Verratti’s departure may well suit them from a financial point of view too, given that he’s on a reported €277,00 per week (via Capology).

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Saudi’s chasing Oxlade-Chamberlain and former Liverpool colleague Mo Salah makes Pro League decision

Jason Pettigrove — Tue, 27 Jun 2023 07:25:51 +0000

The relentless approaches of the Saudi Pro League are showing no signs of abating this summer, with former Liverpool star, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, the latest to be targeted.

At just 29 years of age, he could become one of the more high-profile captures for the emerging league, with the Daily Mail noting that he is still undecided on whether to make the move to the Middle East or see what opportunities arrive In Europe.

The cachet of becoming the first England international to grace the league isn’t anything to turn his nose up at, nor would the expected riches that would come his way, albeit anyone take the Saudi money does so knowing that they would be taking a step down in terms of quality, with respect.

That’s not to say that the longer term plan of the league becoming powerful is fanciful, however, at this stage the project is still in its early stages.

One player who the league would surely love to acquire is Oxlade-Chamberlain’s former Liverpool colleague, Mo Salah.

The Egyptian King would be a real crowd puller though as Mirror Sport note, he isn’t interested in a move to the Pro League, nor will he consider the prospect of moving to Real Madrid.

As far as Salah appears concerned, his future will remain on Merseyside for the time being, which puts paid to any rumours and will surely delight the Anfield faithful.

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Exclusive: Bundesliga outfit still waiting on offer from Liverpool for star player

Jason Pettigrove — Sat, 17 Jun 2023 07:45:40 +0000

With the summer transfer window already open for business but pre-season for the 2023/24 campaign only a month or so away, clubs, including Liverpool, will be keen to get their deals done in a timely fashion.

Jurgen Klopp will understand that if he wants the Reds to be challenging for the major honours once again, then a revision of each position in the squad is required.

Liverpool, unusually for them under the German, were well off the pace last season, and there’s clearly work to do in order for them to get back to where they want to be, including as a bare minimum finishing in the Champions League positions.

With a number of midfielders having left the club this summer – James Milner, Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Arthur Melo have all moved on to pastures new – there’s a need to strengthen that area of the squad particularly.

Manu Kone

To that end, one Bundesliga club are still awaiting an offer from the Reds for one of their stars.

‘In the case of Manu Koné, ‘Gladbach want over €40m for the midfielder and are still hoping for an offer from Liverpool,’ Christian Falk wrote exclusively in his CaughtOffside Substack.

‘Paris Saint-Germain can still be considered as an interested party, whilst Aston Villa and Wolves currently have an outside chance of securing a deal.’

There’s no indication at this stage that the Reds will make a bid for Koné, though if the fee isn’t too prohibitive for the club and there’s a feeling that his skill set will sit well in the middle of the park, an initial discussion over the possibility of a transfer isn’t beyond the realms of possibility.

For now, things remain quiet and time will tell if the player ends up at Anfield or not.

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Latest report claims Alex Oxlade Chamberlain is on the verge of signing for Premier League club

Mehdi Gokal — Sat, 10 Jun 2023 21:21:20 +0000

Former Liverpool midfielder Alex Oxlade Chamberlain is on the verge of signing for Aston Villa on a free transfer according to the latest update from TalkSport.

Despite a poor start under Steven Gerrard, Aston Villa turned their season around and ended up having a fantastic campaign under Unai Emery who guided them to a 7th place finish securing them European football for next season.

And they are wasting no time to improve their squad having already agreed a deal with Youri Tielemans on a free transfer.

Breaking the news on their twitter account, TalkSport reported that the midfielder is “on the verge of completing a free transfer to Aston Villa”.

BREAKING: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is on the verge of completing a free transfer to Aston Villa.#AVFC have also agreed a deal with Youri Tielemans after his release by Leicester.

– talkSPORT sources understand

? Listen ? https://t.co/VJgUHnqdM1 pic.twitter.com/t7KZ2IDy8P

— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) June 10, 2023

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Everton close to agreeing deal with Leeds United for their star player

Exclusive: Nothing concrete between Liverpool and 23-year-old talent with €60m release clause