Aston Villa Tipped To Move In For This Liverpool Midfielder: Good Choice For Gerrard?

In a recent interview with Football Insider, ex-Scotland defender Alan Hutton tipped Aston Villa to move in for Liverpool midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain this summer. Hutton said,

“It’s difficult because you want to stay at a club like Liverpool. You’re challenging for all these trophies but you want to also play your part. If that’s not happening, it’s possibly time to move elsewhere.

“West Ham, Newcastle, Aston Villa, even the likes of Everton and Palace, all these teams are building for the future. They’re building something special as well and why would you not want to be part of that?

“He could be an integral cog for one of these teams moving forward. He’s still got a lot to give, plenty of time. The only question mark is the injuries.

“That can happen with all the stop-start, it’s difficult to get a run going. any of those teams we’ve mentioned I think would jump at the chance of bringing someone of his quality through the door.”

Oxlade-Chamberlain’s Bit-Part Role At Anfield This Season

Oxlade-Chamberlain has served as a decent squad player for the Reds over the past couple of seasons but has struggled to earn regular first-team starts under the tutelage of Jurgen Klopp. The 28-year-old has made 29 appearances for the Merseyside club during this campaign, netting three goals and grabbing three assists on all fronts.

The former Southampton talent has seen a lot of his game time come off the bench which could be why he is only averaging 0.9 tackles, 1.2 shots, 0.6 key passes and 0.7 dribbles per 90 minutes in Premier League football. He has even been excellent with his ball distribution after making 82.3% of his attempted passes in league football (stats via whoscored).

Is Oxlade-Chamberlain A Good Choice For Aston Villa Boss Steven Gerrard?

Oxlade-Chamberlain remains a decent dribbler with the ball at his feet and can strike the ball with power and accuracy from long range. He can chip in by scoring and creating the odd goal from time to time but needs to be more consistent in terms of his offensive numbers.

Still, Oxlade-Chamberlain is versatile enough to play as a central midfielder or as a wide player on either flank if needed. Thus, the Villans would be wise to sign someone of his experience and versatility to add more quality to Steven Gerrard‘s squad.

At 28, the England international is currently playing at his peak and could be a key asset for Aston Villa as long as he can remain injury-free over the next few years. With all things considered, Oxlade-Chamberlain will be a decent choice for the West Midlands outfit to pursue this summer but only if Gerrard is willing to offer him regular playing opportunities in the coming seasons.