LIVERPOOL’S ALEX OXLADE-Chamberlain is likely to miss the ‘vast majority’ of the 2018/2019 season with a serious knee injury, the club has announced.

The midfielder sustained multiple ligament damage during the first leg of Liverpool’s Champions League semi-final triumph over AS Roma, and was subsequently ruled out of England’s World Cup campaign in Russia.

The 24-year-old — who underwent surgery eight days after the injury — did not want the time scale of his lay-off to be revealed at the time as he did not want the news to distract from Liverpool’s Champions League run, which ended in defeat to Real Madrid in the final.

“It feels like now is an appropriate time to tell people that for Ox this coming season will be about focusing on recovery and rehab,” Manager Jurgen Klopp told Liverpoolfc.com.

“We have known this from pretty much the day after he got the injury and after the successful surgery, we were sure of it. I hope everyone treats this information responsibly.

“There has been no change, no setback – it’s exactly on the schedule we expected and planned for. The new information is that we’re now giving more detail publicly.

“It is typical of Ox that he didn’t want the news to overshadow the end of the season and, to be quite honest, we thought we could wait and tell people at an appropriate time.

“His surgery – which he had on the day of our second leg in Roma – has been completely successful and his recovery has started superbly well.

“But the truth of the matter is that we are preparing this season knowing he will not be with us on the pitch for competitive matches for the majority of it. If we do see him back this season it will be a bonus.”

Chamberlain’s rehabilitation is in line with the time-frame outlined following his surgery, and Klopp says he is completely focused on his recovery.

“It is so important – because of how valuable and important he is to what we are looking to do here in the coming seasons – that the focus is on doing this right and not rushed. Ox is completely on board with this approach.

“He is such an outstandingly good person and someone who even when not playing is integral to the heartbeat of Melwood.

“I cannot wait to have him back with us for matches, but we will wait for him and we will show the patience that is required to make sure he comes back ready to continue where he left off: as one of the most outstanding performers in European football in that moment.”

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