Redknapp: Oxlade better than ever

Redknapp: Oxlade better than ever

Former Liverpool star turned pundit Jamie Redknapp says he believes Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has improved leaps and bounds under Jurgen Klopp, insisting that he looks ‘fitter and stronger’ than he did at Arsenal.

Oxlade-Chamberlain cost Liverpool £35m when they signed him from the Gunners in the summer, and eyebrows were raised over whether or not he would live up to such a hefty price-tag.

But despite a slow start under Klopp, the midfielder now looks to have gained the trust of his manager and has been impressive of late.

Speaking after Liverpool’s 5-0 thrashing of Swansea, Redknapp admitted he believes Oxlade is at the top of his game.

“I wasn’t sure about the move for him to start with and I was wondering how he was going to do, but he has surprised me,” said Redknapp on Sky Sports.

“I looked at him at Arsenal and it was like he was treading water and going nowhere, but under Jurgen Klopp I am seeing a completely different player. I am seeing he is fit, with a great attitude and wanting to win tackles.

“It’s probably unfair to question how he was coached under Arsene Wenger but I watched him play and I didn’t feel he developed for years. It looked like he was standing still. I feel a lot of players at Arsenal are in a similar situation.

“You can go and sign a new contract and say ‘OK, I’ll be on the bench’, but he has taken a risk in his career. He could have stayed at Arsenal and signed a new contract but he wanted to challenge himself and has gone to live up north and given himself a chance to play in the first team.

“He wasn’t guaranteed a spot but he is in now and it will be hard to dispossess him of the shirt.

“It was a really bold move for him and one that is really paying off. Look at how much he is improving, he has got fitter, stronger, and he is a different player than he was at Arsenal.

“There’s a reason why you get injuries, and I had plenty, it’s because sometimes you are not fit enough and when you come back from one you don’t get fit enough to play again.

“But he has all the attributes and is playing really well.”