Former Liverpool player suggests he almost followed Henderson to Saudi Arabia this summer

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Liverpool could have had one more former player plying their trade in Saudi Arabia this season.

The Reds saw Jordan Henderson, Fabinho and Roberto Firmino move directly from Anfield to Saudi clubs over the summer. Meanwhile Gini Wijnaldum and Sadio Mane are also now starring for Pro League sides.

And according to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s interview with The Athletic today, Liverpool’s former No.15 could have ended up there, too.

“I was tempted,” Ox admitted, when asked about whether he considered joining the newly-rich league.

“This isn’t a big part of it, but… it didn’t seem too realistic at the start.

“I think over the course of the transfer window, the whole shape of it changed as more boys went there and it became maybe more appealing with how many lads were going to be there and how that’s going to improve the league.

“So for sure, I wasn’t like, ‘No I would never do that’. I respect the boys who have gone there, for whatever reasons. From what I’ve seen, the league looks quite good.”

Oxlade-Chamberlain rejects Saudi riches

In the end, Oxlade-Chamberlain joined Besiktas in Turkey, where he’s had a decent start to the season.

More than any goals or assist, the move to Istanbul has allowed Ox to be a regular starter for his club once again.

The former England international has so far played eight times for Besiktas, five of which have been starts. He’s already bagged his first goal.

After featuring just 13 times for Liverpool last year, that’s much more encouraging for Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Of course, the same playing time would likely have come his way had he caved in and joined a Saudi club, too.

But as Jordan Henderson is finding out, it just isn’t the same. Henderson has recently been playing in-front of crowds of under 1,000 people for Al Ettifaq.

Although the Turkish league isn’t quite the top standard Ox has been used to, it is a much more respectable level than Saudi Arabia. Attendances are much higher and they’re in European competition this season. We think Alex made the right choice.