Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain takes £60k-a-week pay cut to join Liverpool from Arsenal

The 24-year-old turned down £180,000-a-week in order to play in his preferred midfield position under Jurgen Klopp

Liverpool have agreed a fee rising to £40m for Arsenal midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will be unveiled as a Liverpool player on transfer deadline day after turning down a contract extension at Arsenal worth £60,000-a-week more than he will earn at Anfield.

The 24-year-old is said to have turned down a move to Chelsea, snubbing the Premier League champions in favour of the club he supported as a child.

Oxlade-Chamberlain spent six years in north London following a move from Southampton, scoring nine league goals in 132 games.

He had been offered a new £180,000-a-week deal to extend his stay at the Emirates but opted instead to join Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool.

Reports suggest Oxlade-Chamberlain has agreed a £120,000-a-week deal with the Reds after undergoing a medical at St George's Park on Wednesday night.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger outlined his desire to keep hold of the player just last week.

"In all the conversations that I have had, I say that I want him to stay and be one of the big players of the future of this club," Wenger said.

"He is one of the players this team has to be built around in the future.

"Personally, I want him to commit to the club and be one of the carriers of the values of our team."

Oxlade-Chamberlain's exit amid his clear dissatisfaction with playing at wing-back in recent months does further damage to Wenger's claims that he can turn things around at Arsenal.

Going into transfer deadline day, the Gunners are already six points off the pace in the Premier League and are struggling to keep hold of players with Alexis Sanchez also on the verge of leaving.