KLOPP TO KOP OX

LIVERPOOL have made a bid for Arsenal midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain with the Gunners star’s future uncertain, according to reports. Chamberlain has 12 months left on his current Arsenal contract and Liverpool are among the clubs keen to snap him up. Despite impressing under Arsene Wenger last term, the England international is still yet to pen a contract extension. The 23-year-old has been at the club since signing from Southampton as a teenager back in 2011. But, despite being about to enter his seventh season as an Arsenal player, he has never quite nailed down a spot in Arsene Wenger’s starting line-up. And The Mirror claim Liverpool have tabled an opening bid – which Arsenal have rejected. Jurgen Klopp is keen to add more firepower to his squad despite signing Chelsea flop Mohamed Salah from Roma last week. And, while the north London side have snubbed Liverpool’s opening offer, Klopp remains confident he can get a deal done. Talks between the player and Arsenal have come to a standstill and, as a result, a move away from the Emirates looks increasingly likely. The Mirror add that Chelsea and Manchester City are also monitoring Chamberlain’s situation. But, as it stands, Liverpool appear the likeliest to win the race for his signature. out a move to Liverpool this summer insisting a move to a bigger club is too much of a risk a year before a World Cup – although it could materialise next year. Jurgen Klopp had been keeping an eye on the 21-year-old as he looked to add another attacker following the signing of Mohamed Salah, with Bayern Munich also interested in the Beyer Leverkusen man. Leverkusen had a poor season last term which involved a 12th-place finish and the sacking of head coach Roger Schmidt. Brandt, who is currently with Germany at the Confederations Cup, feels partially to blame for the club’s poor form, leading to his father and agent both denying he would leave the club. “My stomach as well as my mind tell me that the right moment for a transfer is not there yet,” he said to Kicker. “I am still young, but also in my fourth year – I feel responsible for the bad season. I therefore see it as my duty to bring the club back where it belongs and for me that means among the top six. Of course there are players who say a year without European football ahead of the World Cup is a reason to change clubs. But a transfer to a bigger club is also taking a risk one year ahead of the World Cup. You have to settle in there and possibly you don’t get so much game time.” It is likely that it means Liverpool will have to wait 12 months to do battle with Bayern for his signature, given that he will then be entering the final year of his contract.