Oxlade Chamberlain to Liverpool – Good business or waste of money?

Amidst the increasing rumours of Arsenal playmaker making the switch from the Emirates to Anfield – fans are taking to social media to remark upon the rumoured £35 million fee that Liverpool are being quoted. 

The England player has one year left on his Arsenal contract and with the Premier League putting greater importance on home grown players the transfer could prove to be a shrewd acquisition for Klopp.

By looking at Chamberlains recent performances and what he could offer to Liverpools attacking options we can gain an insight into whether the signing would justify such a sizeable transfer fee.

Good signing:

Alex’s career has been filled with promise ever since he rose through the ranks at Southampton – prompting a host of big clubs to take interest before Arsenal finally signed him for an initial £12 million. 

Southampton received £12 million from Arsenal to secure his services.

On his Champions League debut he scored against Greek side Olympiacos after just eight minutes. He ended the season with a nomination for PFA young player of the season – losing out to Kyle Walker. 

His passing ability and his considerable pace on the wing would make him a different option for Liverpool down the right should Saido Mane be unavailable. Equally Chamberlain has proven useful in central midfield and this versatility both centrally and out wide has previously worked favourably for Liverpool with the signing of Wijnaldum. 

Kyle Walker beat Oxlade Chamberlain to the PFA young players of the year award in his first season in the Premier League.

Not a good signing:

In one season with Southampton Chamberlain scored 9 goals in just 36 games -compared to his return in five seasons at Arsenal of just 9 goals in 124 matches. Whilst his playtime at the gunners has been limited, Liverpool should be looking for a wide midfielder that contributes for with goals to justify such a high transfer fee.

Chamberlain scored after just eight minutes on his Champions League debut.

Ultimately it comes down to how cheap Liverpool would be able to sign him for. The general consensus amongst fans is that £35 million is a considerable overvaluation of Chamberlains worth in relation to his ability.

A young English player is always going to increase the value of the player due to the home grown rule however with the scouting team in place and Klopps knowledge of the Bundesliga in particular – Liverpool would be foolish to spend so much on Chamberlain when they could invest the money far more wisely. 

With players such as Julian Brandt and Demari Gray linked to the reds for lower transfer fees it is clear that there are better options on the market for Liverpool to invest in.