Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is likely to be out of action until at least November, acting as a big blow to both the player and Liverpool.
Oxlade-Chamberlain’s thriving season suffered a major setback against Roma last month, early in the Champions League semi-final first leg at Anfield.
The 24-year-old went down in agony on the touchline after going into a tackle, eventually being stretchered from the field.
It was recently confirmed that a serious knee injury had ended both Oxlade-Chamberlain’s domestic campaign and his World Cup hopes, and reports in the Liverpool Echo on Monday suggest his return is still a long way off.
Liverpool reporter James Pearce says that after a successful knee operation “Oxlade-Chamberlain, who is currently on crutches, has started his rehabilitation programme at Melwood.”
Despite initial hopes that he would return to the fold in time for pre-season, it is now believed that the popular Englishman will miss up to six months of first-team football.
That means Jurgen Klopp will have to make do without one of his most in-form players until at least November, three months into the 2018/19 season.
Whether that changes the manager’s thinking ahead of the summer transfer window remains to be seen, in terms of bringing in added reinforcements to fill the void left by Oxlade-Chamberlain.
It a cruel blow for a player who was enjoying the best of form of his career, shining in the central midfield berth he had always craved at Arsenal.
He was integral in Liverpool reaching the Champions League semis, scoring the club’s Goal of the Season against Man City in the quarter-final first leg, and his dynamism will be a miss in the final against Real Madrid on May 26.
Hopefully, Oxlade-Chamberlain makes a speedy recovery and returns the same player that was thrilling us prior to his injury.
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