“If He Wants To Leave…” McManaman Backs Liverpool Star To Secure Arsenal Switch

“If He Wants To Leave…” McManaman Backs Liverpool Star To Secure Arsenal Switch

Ex-Liverpool midfielder Steve McManaman believes Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain could benefit from a move back to Arsenal.

The 28-year-old signed from the Gunners for £35m in 2017, but it is believed the Reds would want a similar fee were they to offload him next summer. McManaman claims that if Oxlade-Chamberlain is keen on the switch, and Arsenal can stump up the cash, it could be a win-win for both parties:

“If he wants to leave and play first-team football that’s entirely up to him. The question is, is he worth that kind of money? And the answer is yes, without a doubt. It seems like a hell of a lot of money, but it’s not a lot when you look around and see the figures being paid by some other football teams.”

McManaman may well be writing off Oxlade-Chamberlain’s career at Anfield slightly too quickly. The midfielder has looked impressive coming off the bench in recent weeks and, with manager Jurgen Klopp not entirely convinced by Naby Keita, there is a chance that Oxlade-Chamberlain could be handed a few starts in the coming weeks.

If he does reach the final year of his contract next June without reestablishing himself as a first-team regular, though, and the Gunners are keen on bringing him back to the Emirates, then a deal may well be considered.

David Tully

David Tully

David has worked as a football reporter for the last fifteen years. Having started as an intern at Snack Media, he then went on to become a freelancer, working on various different sites. At the start of 2023, he took up his current role as content writer for National World's Football News Network.