"Be very careful" - Gabby Agbonlahor feels Luis Diaz could force Liverpool duo out of club
Former Premier League forward Gabriel Agbonlahor feels Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's futures at Liverpool are under threat because of new arrival Luis Diaz.
Diaz announced his arrival at Anfield with a goal in the Reds' 3-1 victory over Norwich City in the Premier League last weekend. The Colombia international needed only four games to open his account for the Merseysiders.
Agbonlahor has now issued a warning to Reds duo Keita and Oxlade-Chamberlain following Diaz's impressive start to life at Anfield. The former Aston Villa star feels the 25-year-old could soon force the two midfielders out of the team.
Oxlade-Chamberlain and Keita were both handed starts yesterday, but both were withdrawn at the 60th minute, when we were 1-0 down.
With their contracts both expiring in 2023, decisions need to be made this summer. Would you give them new deals or is it time to cash in? https://t.co/s99XMhd6Lz
The Englishman has tipped Jurgen Klopp's side to sign more players like Diaz in the summer. He feels the likes of Keita and Oxlade-Chamberlain may have to fight for their place in the team. Agbonlahor told Football Insider in this regard:
“He can have a massive impact. You can see why they wanted to beat Spurs to his signature; he’s a very exciting player. They now are starting to increase their squad numbers. Players like Keita, players like Oxlade-Chamberlain need to be very careful with their Liverpool careers. You’ve got Diaz, players like Harvey Elliott are coming in now and starting ahead of them. Liverpool are going to add more players like that in the summer."
"Players like Keita and Oxlade-Chamberlain are fighting for their careers at the club. There’s no space in the Premier League to be carrying players who aren’t at the level. Man City have 21, 22 top-class players, and Liverpool are closing that gap now. They will close it even further with some top additions in the summer.”
Diaz has started two games for the Reds in the Premier League so far. Having scored his first goal for the club last Saturday, he will look to add more to his tally in upcoming games.
How has Keita and Oxlade-Chamberlain fared for Liverpool?
The Reds signed Oxlade-Chamberlain from Arsenal for around £35 million in 2017. He has scored 17 goals and provided 14 assists in 131 appearances across competitions for the club thus far.
There’s a notion that Oxlade-Chamberlain has been bad for prolonged periods at Liverpool but it’s wrong.
He had just 19 minutes in 18/19 and 286 minutes in 20/21.
In 17/18, he was one of our best players.
In 19/20, he helped us win the league.
In 21/22, he’s been great. https://t.co/GP6ERO2v07
Meanwhile, Keita joined the Merseyside-based club for an initial sum of £52.75 million in 2018. The Guinea international has played 96 games for the team so far, contributing 15 goals.
The midfield duo have shown signs of their prowess during their stint at Anfield. However, they have struggled to establish themselves as key players in Klopp's side due to injuries and lack of consistency.
In 20 games this season, Keita has contributed three goals and an assist. Meanwhile, Oxlade-Chamberlain has bagged three goals and two assists in 27 outings this campaign.