Free agent Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain completes Celtic transfer nine months after last competitive game

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has joined Celtic on a free switch 9 months after his final aggressive recreation.

The 32-year-old left Besiktas final summer time following a mutual termination of his contract.

Celtic signal Oxlade-Chamberlain

The previous England worldwide has joined the Hoops on a contract till the summer time, with an possibility for an extra 12 months.

Celtic supervisor Martin O’Neill informed the membership’s web site: “We’re actually happy to deliver Alex to Celtic.

“He nonetheless has a lot to supply the sport, and I’m certain he can add one other dimension to us along with his nice capacity and wealth of expertise within the recreation.

“Above all, he’s passionate and enthusiastic about this transfer himself, so we’re welcoming a fantastic participant who’s hungry to assist us obtain as a lot as we are able to.”

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Chatting with Celtic TV, Oxlade-Chamberlain added: “It’s been a busy few days, however I’m delighted and actually excited.

“Talking with the supervisor, it simply felt like the proper match for me, and I really feel like I can are available and assist out the lads.

“Simply speaking to the supervisor, and Shaun Maloney as properly, who informed the expectations on the membership and what it means to play right here, what our targets are and that he’s going to push me.

“That’s all of the stuff I establish with, and that’s the atmosphere I’ve all the time been in and been fortunate sufficient to be in.

“It’s precisely what I want. I want one other problem and fortunate sufficient at an enormous membership like this. They usually might help me get again to the place I must get to and, extra importantly, I want to assist the crew obtain the targets we need to do.”

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Oxlade-Chamberlain has been coaching with former membership Arsenal in latest weeks in a bid to regain match health.

Having began his profession at Southampton in 2009, he joined the Gunners in 2011 after which Liverpool in 2017, the place he received the Premier League and Champions League.

He then joined Turkish Tremendous League aspect Besiktas in 2023 and scored 5 targets in 50 appearances, successful the Turkish Cup in 2024.

He performed underneath 9 managers throughout his two years in Turkey, together with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, with none lasting greater than 20 video games.

His final senior soccer recreation earlier than leaving in the summertime was an 11-minute look in opposition to Adana Demirspor in Could 2025.

Since then, Oxlade-Chamberlain performed for Arsenal Underneath-21s in a behind-closed-doors pleasant in opposition to Manchester United in December.

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Celtic are at the moment sitting in third place within the Scottish Premiership, six factors behind leaders Hearts.

European soccer skilled Andy Brassell believes the participant could be an on the spot hit for the present champions.

He stated: “I noticed him a few instances on the market within the flesh within the Turkish Tremendous League, and I feel it’s clear that there is nonetheless an enormous participant in there.

“I feel he can get to a stage the place he could be massively influential for Celtic fairly rapidly.

“He scored the winner in opposition to Fenerbahce, and he was somebody who might nonetheless run all day, he might nonetheless cowl quite a few midfield positions, he is nonetheless acquired nice craft.

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“A variety of the rationale it did not work for him at Besiktas was circumstantial, and he was seen actually as a logo of a regime gone incorrect, of a switch coverage gone incorrect. None of that was actually his fault.

“He was solid out as a result of unexpectedly, they weren’t able to be chasing trophies, and he was nonetheless getting paid some huge cash.

“He was diligent, hard-working, there was nonetheless loads of high quality there. However he was simply in a scenario the place, having been in golf equipment that have been contending for stuff all his life, unexpectedly, he was on this utterly dysfunctional scenario the place there was solely a restricted quantity that he might do.”

“So I really feel there’s a lot left within the Oxlade-Chamberlain tank.”

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Celtic made three mortgage signings on switch deadline day.

Striker Junior Adamu joined from Freiburg, winger Joel Mvuka from Lorient and defender Benjamin Arthur from Brentford.