Liverpool Transfer News: Latest Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Mario Gotze Rumours

Liverpool will reportedly do battle with champions Leicester City in an attempt to sign Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain from Arsenal this summer.

That’s according to Neil Fissler of the Sunday Express, who has reported that the Foxes are considering a deal for the out-of-favour midfielder, who has been strongly linked with the Reds in the past. It’s suggested that Oxlade-Chamberlain is keen to stay at Arsneal, although the club are likely to move him on should they receive a decent offer.

Despite showing a lot of promise as a youngster, the England international midfielder hasn’t been able to kick on at the Emirates Stadium.

Julian Finney/Getty Images

Plenty is due to the player’s inability to nail down a starting spot with so much quality in the Arsenal side. Indeed, he’s vying with the likes of Aaron Ramsey, Santi Cazorla, Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez for a place in the XI, meaning he’s often left on the bench or chosen to feature in lesser matches.

But the main problem for the player has been his struggles with fitness. Another issue ruled him out of the UEFA European Championships this summer and, as noted by Squawka Football recently, that’s a familiar story for the former Southampton man:

At his best, Oxlade-Chamberlain could thrive at Liverpool. He’s able to fulfill a variety of different roles on the field, is dynamic and operates with the intensity that manager Jurgen Klopp demands from his players. There’s certainly a wonderful player ready to emerge with the right guidance, both in terms of his play and fitness.

The injury problems would make the Reds think twice about parting with big money for the 22-year-old, though. Already he has missed a lot of football because of the perennial problems with fitness, something that’s a big concern for a young player. Nevertheless, Arsenal are likely to demand a substantial fee if they’re to part ways with the player.

Joachim Low Advises Mario Gotze

Boris Streubel/Getty Images

Germany manager Joachim Low has told Bayern Munich midfielder Mario Gotze to forget about his future until after the summer’s European Championships, with strong links about a move to Liverpool.

As reported by Alex Richards of the Daily Mirror, despite the player having stated he wants to stay at Bayern and work under Carlo Ancelotti, the club’s chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge encouraged Gotze to “consider for himself whether he wants to constantly get minutes.” 

It’s a big decision, but as Gotze prepares for the summer championships in France, Low has told him to forget about his decision for the time being, per Tyrone Marshall of the Daily Mirror.

“I am not interested in this talk any more,” Low said. “This is something that I do not want to be confronted with any more and I will not talk about it again. … All players who have transfer issues should now deal with them after the Euros. Not now.”

Matthias Hangst/Getty Images

As noted by Marshall, Liverpool have been touted as possible suitors for the player, with Gotze’s former boss Klopp at the helm. However, according to Bundesliga pundit and former Norway international Jan Aage Fjortoft, the player is keen to heed Low’s advice and focus on Euro 2016 football for now:

Indeed, it could be a crucial championships for Gotze. If Bayern want to move him on, then he could do himself a lot of favours with some strong showings in France, potentially attracting a host of other clubs aside from Liverpool. Additionally, some more virtuoso displays for the national side could encourage Bayern to keep hold.

Either way, speculation will likely rumble on during the tournament, with Liverpool supporters desperate to see this one come off. Such is the interest in a possible move, Gotze will do well to steer clear of transfer talk.