Ex-Arsenal Star Names Liverpool Player Most at Risk of Losing Starting Place to Oxlade-Chamberlain
Former Arsenal defender and BBC pundit Martin Keown has claimed that Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's arrival at Liverpool could be bad news for Georginio Wijnaldum.
51-year-old Keown, answering reader questions for Sportsmail, wrote about Oxlade-Chamberlain's deadline day move from Arsenal to Liverpool and admitted he is unsure as to the midfielder's true motivations for leaving London.
"I’d be very interested to hear his own reasons for wanting to leave," the three-time Premier League winner wrote in response to a question asking why 24-year-old Oxlade-Chamberlain decided to exit the Emirates Stadium on Thursday.
"I don’t think he has really fulfilled his potential at Arsenal... and if he thinks central midfield is his best position then he has some work to do."
However, while Keown (like many) seemed a little skeptical of the former Southampton star's ability to command a central midfield position, he did indicate that Wijanldum - who impressed during Liverpool's 4-0 hammering of Arsenal last weekend - could be most at risk of losing his place to the new arrival.
"I do think he could be one of the midfield three at Liverpool, where he could play instead of Georginio Wijnaldum," Keown added.
26-year-old Netherlands star Wijanldum has been solid since joining Liverpool from Newcastle in the summer of 2016.
He scored six Premier League goals in his first campaign for Jurgen Klopp's side and has the most assists of any player in England's top flight from open play in 2017.