Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is still going to miss the rest of Liverpool’s season and the Champions League, but his injury is not as bad as first feared.
Various reports on the internet suggested he could be out for up to nine months, which would ruin most of his 2018/19 campaign as well.
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In fact, he could be ready for the start of pre-season, which will be music to Jurgen Klopp’s ears – as players struggle under his management when they haven’t had these months of preparation.
“It is understood that he did not suffer a cruciate ligament injury, which would have meant a lengthy rehabilitation. Liverpool hope that he will return for pre-season training at the start of July,” writes Paul Joyce in the Times.
Ox began this season on Liverpool’s bench, while he became acclimatised to a very different footballing system than Arsenal’s, but around Christmas time, he began to show his worth.
Many fans scoffed when Liverpool paid £35m for the Englishman, but that fee now looks a bargain.
Ox can dribble, press, tackle and provide quality in the final third.
In recent weeks, his thunderbolt goal against Manchester City and his assist to Mo Salah against West Brom have stood out in particular.
We wish him huge luck in his recovery and look forward to seeing him back in red.