Jurgen Klopp didn’t talk to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain too much before he left Liverpool this summer, the forward has acknowledged.
Oxlade-Chamberlain left Anfield on a free transfer after six years there and eventually signed with Besiktas in the Turkish Super Lig.
For the 30-year-old, who only appeared 13 times last season, it was the conclusion of a strange couple of years. In a recent interview with The Athletic, Ox discussed his connection with Klopp at the time.
The former Arsenal player began, “I kind of pride myself on, wherever I am, I want to be the greatest person to everyone around me and a wonderful guy to be around the players, the staff, and stuff like that.”
“You simply… expect to be told certain things; whether it’s good, negative, or whatever; that’s how the game works. The lack of communication… surprised me a little.
“Our relationship (he and Klopp) was good. There was never any argument or disagreement of that nature.
“I know it’s challenging for managers to balance every player’s needs, but I liked him playing with him far more than I did when I wasn’t even on the bench! But that is how things work.”
Oxlade-Chamberlain expresses his opinions.
This Oxlade-Chamberlain interview is really insightful and supports what had previously seemed to be the case.
The midfielder hardly played at all for the latter three years of his stint at Liverpool. But more than that, there were instances when he was totally shut out.
Consider the conclusion of the 2021/22 campaign. Around the beginning of the year, Ox was performing admirably, ably stepping in for Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane while they were away at the AFCON.
However, after their departure and the acquisition of Luis Diaz, Oxlade-Chamberlain was completely dropped.
He didn’t even sit on the bench for the last four games of the season. Ox didn’t play a single minute in either championship game, not even in the FA Cup team, as Liverpool won both domestic championships.
The former England international appeared to be leaving the team last summer from all appearances. However, Oxlade-Chamberlain was kept on for whatever reason.
That scarcely looked worthwhile in hindsight. He didn’t play much in 2022–23, and his friendship with Klopp seems to have soured a little. What a tragedy
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