Liverpool plan to extend Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s contract by a further 12 months following his return to full fitness.

But Standard Sport understands that any announcement of fresh terms for the midfielder is not imminent, with both club and player in no rush to finalise an agreement that is viewed as inevitable.

A prolonged deal would see the Englishman stay at Anfield until 2023 - five years on from his arrival from Arsenal.

Oxlade-Chamberlain overcame a slow start to his Reds career to establish himself as a key man during the second half of his debut campaign.

However, that fine run of form was halted by a serious knee issue sustained during a Champions League semi-final meeting with AS Roma last April.

As such, the 25-year-old spent much of his second season on Merseyside battling back to full fitness, eventually returning to action 366 days on from his injury.

But, as evidenced by plans for a new contract, Oxlade-Chamberlain is expected to play a vital role next term as Jurgen Klopp’s men look to build on their recent Champions League victory.

The former Southampton starlet’s versatility is just one of the reasons why Jurgen Klopp remains reluctant to splash out huge sums on attacking reinforcements this summer.

Links with £60m-rated Lille winger Nicolas Pepe persist but he is not considered a target for the Reds, who are aiming to make only minor tweaks to their squad in the coming months.

Liverpool chiefs in fact suspect the club’s name is being used to promote interest in a player who is likely to be involved in one of the biggest moves of the transfer window.