Aston Villa have been handed a boost in their reported pursuit of Liverpool midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, with the Englishman seemingly set to depart Anfield this summer.
What's the word?
Villa have regularly been linked with a move for the former Arsenal man in recent months, with Steven Gerrard keen on bolstering his midfield options at Villa Park.
Paul Joyce, a journalist for the Times, has now reported that Liverpool are willing to listen to offers for the 28-year-old and will allow him to depart should they receive a suitable bid, with previous reports suggesting that he would be available for as little as £10m.
Therefore, the green light has been signalled for any willing suitors to swoop in and seal his exit from Merseyside.
Lange must act
Although Oxlade-Chamberlain has endured some serious injury problems during his time at Liverpool, he was a key part of Klopp's squad in the past, particularly in the 2019/20 title-winning season, when he made 30 appearances in the Premier League.
His game time last season may well have been limited, perhaps due to the quality Klopp has in his Liverpool midfield, but in his six Champions League appearances, he averaged an impressive 7.07 rating from WhoScored, while he also impressed with his performances in the League Cup.
He also popped up with two goals and one assist in just 17 Premier League appearances, with eight coming from the bench, which shows that he can add goals from midfield.
This emphasises that he still possesses a lot of quality and he could be a consistent regular in Gerrard's side at Villa Park next season.
Rio Ferdinand was full of praise for Oxlade-Chamberlain after he scored twice in a Champions League win against Genk in 2019, saying:
"He’s a fantastic footballer and it’s all about decision making there. He offers something totally different in the midfield for Liverpool."
The former England international would certainly add a lot of energy and dynamism to Gerrard's midfield next season, and given his vast experience in the Premier League, this seems like a no-brainer deal for Villa to complete.
Therefore, Villa director of football Johan Lange should act quickly to bring him in for £10m, as there will undoubtedly be plenty of Premier League suitors for Oxlade-Chamberlain at that price.