"Best for him and the club" - Jose Enrique says Aston Villa and West Ham-linked £35 million player should leave Liverpool
Former Liverpool left-back Jose Enrique has said that Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain should leave the Reds, with Aston Villa and West Ham United reportedly interested in his services. He added that it would be best for the Englishman as well as the club.
A fan page by the name of Liverpoolgoals posted on Instagram:
"It was reported yesterday that Ox will be allowed to leave Liverpool this summer for the right price (Paul Joyce). His contract expires next summer and I don’t see the club giving him a new contract, so here are some PL moves I could see him potentially completing."
Enrique replied to the post, saying:
"Yes the best for him and the club is for him to go somewhere to play more minutes."
As per the Mirror, Aston Villa and West Ham are monitoring Oxlade-Chamberlain's situation at Anfield. The Reds could demand around £10 million for the midfielder.
(🟢) NEW:
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will be allowed to leave this summer if a suitable offer is made. [Paul Joyce] https://t.co/xbsfDI5aGm
West Ham will play in the UEFA Europa Conference League next season and will need to add depth to their squad.
Meanwhile, Villa have looked decent since Steven Gerrard's appointment as manager in November. They will hope to compete for European places in the Premier League next season.
Oxlade-Chamberlain's contract with Liverpool runs out in 2023, so they'll look to cash in on him this summer. As per the Mirror's report, he garnered interest from Newcastle United in January, but a deal couldn't be finalised.
Should Aston Villa buy Liverpool's Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain?
While the English midfielder hasn't been one of the most prominent members of Jurgen Klopp's squad, the quality is still there. Last season, he contributed three goals and as many assists in 17 starts across competitions.
He joined the Reds in 2017 from Arsenal for £35 million and has made 133 appearances, scoring 17 goals and providing 15 assists. It could be a good purchase for Aston Villa, but the Villans already have a load of midfielders.
They signed Philippe Coutinho permanently this summer and added Boubacar Kamara to their lineup as well. They also have John McGinn, Jacob Ramsey, Douglas Luiz and Emi Buendia in forward/midfield positions.
✍️ Philippe Coutinho
✍️ Boubacar Kamara
✍️ Diego Carlos
✍️ Robin Olsen
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Moreover, Villa aren't in any European competitions, which limits opportunities for their players. Hence, it could be yet another case of fighting for positions for Oxlade-Chamberlain if he joins Gerrard's side.
With the Merseysiders looking to cash in on the midfielder, West Ham could arguably be a better option for Chamberlain than Aston Villa.