Former Liverpool full back Stephen Warnock has claimed that midfielders Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Adam Lallana could be like new signings for the club.
The former missed the majority of last season with the injury he suffered against Roma during the previous campaign, while the latter has been perpetually hamstrung throughout his time on Merseyside.
Warnock has had his say: “You think of the competition in midfield: you’ve got Fabinho, you’ve got [James] Milner, [Naby] Keita, [Jordan] Henderson, [Georginio] Wijnaldum – now you add into it Oxlade-Chamberlain and Lallana, once they’re fully fit, as well,” he told BBC Radio 5 Live.
“Now, Lallana and Oxlade-Chamberlain can both play those higher roles [further up the pitch], as well. So they can both play in that front three positions. So it gives Jurgen Klopp two more options without buying players for £40-50million.
“If you can keep both players fully fit, they are brand new signings.”
"Oxlade-Chamberlain and Lallana could be like new signings"@StephenWarnock3 says the returning English midfielders will give #LFC greater options this season.
Listen here ?
???: https://t.co/0kUniWPgQm pic.twitter.com/93FSnJ33kL— BBC 5 Live Sport (@5liveSport) July 23, 2019
OPINION
This certainly seems to be the thinking Klopp is relying upon this summer. The Reds boss seems in no rush to reinforce his squad, with the players returning from injury, the aforementioned duo and young striker Rhian Brewster, giving him an upgrade on the options he had last time out. Furthermore, the youngsters returning from loan spells, notably Harry Wilson and Ryan Kent, will likely be given a chance to make an impact. If they don’t then they might be loaned out again in January, but as long as they continue to impress in pre season then they should get an opportunity. But, as Warnock says, the versatility of Oxlade-Chamberlain and Lallana could well make them like new signings. More so the former, definitely, but we have seen Lallana operating in a different position this pre season, so perhaps he’ll be able to make more of an impact in that new role. But Oxlade-Chamberlain, certainly, could be key in the new campaign.
