Liverpool midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is set to return from a knee injury early March, handing the club a huge boost in their purist for the Premier League title.
The versatile player has been out since April 24 last year after sustaining multiple ligament damage and was expected to miss the entirety of this season.
Reds manager Jürgen Klopp expressed that “it will be a bonus” if the the England international would be able to play in a competitive fixture before May and the German looks like he will get his wish.
On Monday, there was a video circulating which showed clear progress in the player’s rehabilitation, he was training with Dejan Lovern and Ben Woodburn but it has since been removed from Instagram.
The Merseyside club are currently doing warm weather training in Dubai, taking advantage of being out of the FA Cup, as the look to work on every margin of error to ensure they are as competitive as possible towards the back end of the season.
Klopp has since spoken about Oxlade-Chamberlain announcing to the Liverpool Echo.
“He’s in a very good way but it will still take time,” said the Reds boss.
“When I see him running or on the ball, it looks good, promising, close to a return but he has had a long time out. I think we will see him this season.”
The club have stressed that they will not push the midfielder and have said they will take every precaution necessary to ensure his knee is 100% right so that they can avoid a reoccurring injury.
His return is will be a massive boost for the reds title challenge as they battle Manchester City, trying to win their first league title since 1990.
During that time their rivals Manchester United overtook them, taking their tally to 20 league titles.
Oxlade-Chamberlain was one of the star’s in the Merseyside club’s second half of the season form last campaign. His link-up play with Mohamed Salah was one of the key attacking threats in Europe.
Since the midfielder’s injury, Klopp has had to dip into the transfer market. Both Fabinho and Naby Keita joined in the summer to add depth and quality.
The former Arsenal man missed both the Champions League final and World Cup campaign where England reached the semi-final, having their best tournament since Italia ’90.