‘There was silence before Liverpool decided not to renew my contract – it was surprising’

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain spent six years at Liverpool before leaving the club in the summer of 2023, but he was only told he would be leaving mere days before the news was made public

Former Liverpool midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who was recently let go by Turkish outfit Besiktas, previously opened up about his abrupt and unexpected exit from Anfield. The 32-year-old failed to feature in any of Besiktas’ opening six fixtures this season, with reports surfacing in July suggesting his contract would be cancelled.

Oxlade-Chamberlain, 30, enjoyed a six-year stint on Merseyside following his £35 million switch from Arsenal in 2017. He left the club as a free agent in the summer of 2023

Yet after months of radio silence during the 2022/23 season – his final year under contract – Oxlade-Chamberlain only discovered his fate just three days before the club made it public knowledge, reports Liverpool.com.

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Speaking to The Athletic, the ex-Arsenal and Southampton player reflected on his Liverpool exit. “It was never said,” he said.

“I obviously got the picture. I got told before they released the statement: ‘Just so you know, we’re putting this out about you, [James Milner] Milly, [Roberto Firmino] Bobby and Naby [Keita] leaving’. And I was like, ‘Oh, OK. Thanks’. But there was nothing official at any point before. It was just… the silence was enough to know what the situation was.”

Despite his time with the Reds being hampered by fitness problems, he still clocked up 146 appearances and claimed both the Premier League and Champions League titles.

Nevertheless, Oxlade-Chamberlain acknowledges he was aware it was improbable he would receive a fresh contract from the Reds, though he dismissed any notion that he had quarrelled with former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.

He continued: “I want to be the best person to everyone around me and a good person to have around the lads, the staff, stuff like that. You just expect certain things to be told – whether it’s good, bad, whatever, that’s how the game goes. The lack of communication was a bit surprising.

“[He and Klopp] had a good relationship. There was never any falling-out or anything like that. I understand as a manager it’s not easy to navigate every player’s needs, but when I was playing, I definitely enjoyed him a lot more than when I wasn’t even on the bench! But that’s how it goes.”

Despite being informed with merely days to spare, Oxlade-Chamberlain, alongside Milner, Firmino and Keita, received a send-off on the Anfield turf during the final home game of the 2022/2023 campaign.

A Liverpool statement at the time said: “We wish Roberto, Naby, James, Alex and their families the very best for the future. All four players will depart with our gratitude and appreciation for the contribution they have made.”

His exit from Turkey proved far less ceremonious. Besiktas said: “Our contract with our professional football player Alexander Mark David Oxlade-Chamberlain has been terminated by mutual consent. According to the agreement, the player will be paid a termination compensation of €1,750,000 (£2.04M/£1.51M).”

The England international featured in 50 matches for the Turkish outfit but found himself sidelined by former boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst – who now serves as Arne Slot’s assistant at Liverpool. He managed to fight his way back into contention last season following the arrival of then-manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Oxlade-Chamberlain has since been touted for a switch to Birmingham City, whilst Leeds United and Leicester City were also reportedly keen.

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