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Former Liverpool star Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, recently released by Turkish side Besiktas, once discussed his sudden and surprising departure from Liverpool.
The 32-year-old was not involved in any of the first six matches of the new season for Besiktas and reports first emerged in July that he was set to have his deal at the club terminated. Oxlade-Chamberlain, 30, spent six years at Anfield after joining from Arsenal in 2017 for $47 million.
He left the club as a free agent in the summer of 2023. However, after months of silence heading into the 2022/23 campaign, which was the final year of his deal, Oxlade-Chamberlain was only informed he'd actually be leaving the club three days before it was officially communicated to the public.
In an interview with The Athletic, the former Arsenal and Southampton star was asked about his departure from Liverpool.
"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.”
While his stint with the Reds was plagued by injuries, he still managed to rack up 146 appearances and won both the Premier League and the Champions League. However, Oxlade-Chamberlain admits he knew it was unlikely he would be offered a new deal by the Reds, but he trashed any suggestion that he had fallen out with ex-Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp.
He added: “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.”
While he was told with just days remaining, Oxlade-Chamberlain, as well as Milner, Firmino and Keita, were given a tribute on the pitch at Anfield in the last home game of the 2022/2023 season.
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 departure from Turkey was slightly less ceremonious. Besitkas 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)."
Oxlade-Chamberlain made 50 appearances for the Turkish side but he was frozen out by former coach - and now Arne Slot’s assistant at Liverpool - Giovanni van Bronckhorst.
He forced his way back into the side last season after the appointment of, now former manager, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Oxlade-Chamberlain has now been linked linked with a move to Birmingham City this month, while Leeds United and Leicester City were also said to be interested.
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