Jurgen Klopp has confirmed that Alex Oxlade Chamberlain is likely to miss the entire 2018/19 Premier League season through injury.
The former Arsenal midfielder damaged multiple ligaments during their Champions League semi-final against Roma back in April.
The Liverpool man has undergone surgery on the injury, but speaking to the press, Jurgen Klopp has revealed the upcoming season will be all about rehab and recovery, rather than getting back to first-team action:
“It feels like now is an appropriate time to tell people that for Ox this coming season will be about focusing on recovery and rehab.
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“We have known this from pretty much the day after he got the injury and after the successful surgery, we were sure of it.
“There has been no change, no setback – it’s exactly on the schedule we expected and planned for. The new information is that we’re now giving more detail publicly.
“It is typical of Ox that he didn’t want the news to overshadow the end of the season and, to be quite honest, we thought we could wait and tell people at an appropriate time.
“His surgery – which he had on the day of our second leg in Roma – has been completely successful and his recovery has started superbly well.
“But the truth of the matter is that we are preparing this season knowing he will not be with us on the pitch for competitive matches for the majority of it.
“If we do see him back this season it will be a bonus.”
The announcement could see Liverpool reignite their interest in Nabil Fekir, a player they have tried and so far, failed to sign this summer.