20 October 2023 , 13:39
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Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has revealed that Liverpool did not inform him he wouldn't be offered a new contract until just days before his release was officially announced.
Oxlade-Chamberlain, 30, spent six years at Anfield before leaving the club as a free agent in the summer. His stint with the Reds was plagued by injuries but he still managed to chalk up 146 appearances and won both the Premier League and the Champions League.
He headed into the 2022/23 campaign in the final year of his deal - but after months of silence, Oxlade-Chamberlain was only informed he'd actually be leaving the club three days before it was officially communicated to the public.
In an interview with The Athletic, the former Arsenal and Southampton man was asked when he discovered he would be leaving and replied: “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.”
Despite the silence in the lead-up to his departure, Oxlade-Chamberlain admits he knew it was unlikely he would be offered a new deal by the Reds. And he also quashed any suggestion that he had fallen out with Jurgen Klopp.
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He added: “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.
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Besiktas midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has opened up on his Liverpool exit (BBC Sport)“[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.”
Oxlade-Chamberlain is currently enjoying life in the Turkish Super Lig with Besiktas after signing a three-year deal in the summer. And the versatile midfielder has been enjoying the passion on show after branching out from the Premier League.
Speaking about his early experiences in Turkey, Oxlade-Chamberlain added: “It’s very emotional, the fanbase and how much it means to the people. It’s their life, their passion and, yeah, obviously it can be volatile because the big teams are expected to win most of their games without fail.
“From what I’ve seen in the first few weeks when you win and you’re doing well, there’s no better place. If you’re underperforming, you know about it.
“That’s always the case at the top level, but it’s slightly different to England in the way the fans are connected to the club — and even the structure of the club, with the elections for the president. They have a big voice out here. If you’re doing well and doing what you need to be doing, they’re so supportive.”