‘I love him’ – Jurgen Klopp names the one Liverpool star he’d like to go on holiday with in touching tribute
Jurgen Klopp has paid a touching tribute to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain as the 29-year-old prepares to leave the club upon the expiry of his contract at the end of the month.
The former Southampton and Arsenal star is a huge favourite amongst Reds fans but his Anfield career has been hampered by injuries since his arrival from the Gunners in 2017 and it was therefore decided that his time on Merseyside will not be extended beyond the summer.
Our German tactician has joked that our No. 15 would be the one player from his squad that he would choose to go on holiday with while expressing the ‘love’ he has for the England international.
“Ox is a super guy, an absolutely super guy,” Klopp told Liverpoolfc.com. “Now with Ox it’s a bigger shame, how it sometimes is with players – he had here super times and now in the end I’m pretty sure he is not 100 per cent happy and I can understand that, definitely.
“But the one moment that comes in my mind, it describes a little bit the time here but as well how good he is, is the situation in the Roma semi-final, the home game when he got injured. In that moment I had no idea how to replace him, honestly – Ox was that good.
“It was everything: he came here, had played from time to time at wing-back at Arsenal, winger for sure, and he became a proper No. 8 here in the way we wanted to play – super-energetic, technically outstanding.
“I remember early and we had our first finishing sessions and I looked and thought, ‘He didn’t score that many goals in the past, if I could shoot like you I would start in the morning at seven and finish shooting at nine or 10 o’clock because it’s incredible!’
“So, then he started scoring these wonderful goals against [Manchester] City and in other important games. It was always a real joy to work with him but again, one or two injuries too many caused some problems, obviously.
“I love him. Once I said if I had to choose a player to go on holiday with probably my first choice would be Ox because I’m pretty sure he can organise these things pretty well, he knows the whole world. Together with his missus he could probably organise tickets for each event in England, maybe Europe, and it would be absolutely good fun.
“He is a good talker and I’m pretty sure after his career – which I hope will continue for a long, long time – he will show up anywhere on television. If not, television made a big mistake!”
It’s hard not to wonder how much better Oxlade-Chamberlain’s Liverpool career could’ve been had it not been for his numerous injuries.
During our run to the Champions League final in the 2017/18 campaign the England international was quite literally unplayable before sustaining a knee injury against AS Roma in the semi final.
He scored a stunning goal against Manchester City earlier on in the competition that season – something that Klopp has admitted is his favourite memory of the Ox.
At 29 years of age the versatile midfielder still has a lot to give and he will be a great addition to whichever side he decides to join in the coming months.
We wish him all the best for the future!
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