The Scottish champions have reached a ‘verbal agreement’ to sign the former Arsenal and Liverpool star
Former Arsenal and Liverpool midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has reportedly agreed terms to join Celtic on a short-term deal, with an option to extend his stay beyond the summer.
The 32-year-old ex-England international, who has been a free agent since leaving Turkish side Besiktas in August, is closing in on a return to football after a period training with his old club Arsenal to maintain his fitness.
Earlier this week, it was reported that Oxlade-Chamberlain had entered into negotiations over a proposed move to the Scottish champions. According to BBC Sport, a deal is now in place with Hoops boss Martin O’Neill edging closer to landing a player he has been a huge admirer of for some time.
Confirmed his interest in Oxlade-Chamberlain at a press conference on Tuesday, O’Neill suggested the interest was mutual after holding positive discussions with the player.
“I've spoken to him, but I'm sure he has plenty of options, maybe closer to London,” O’Neill revealed. “I'd be very interested in doing it. I'm surprised people haven't taken him up. I think he was very excited about what we were saying.
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“He knows all about the club, he's a big friend of Joe Hart and Joe has spoken to him - not on our behalf. It's something we're interested in but if it doesn't materialise, it doesn't materialise.”
Now, it appears Celtic will secure his signature on an initial six-month contract in what is viewed as a major boost to their title challenge. The length of the deal had previously been a potential stumbling block, with his representatives exploring the possibility of an extension clause beyond the end of the season.
Celtic were only looking at a short-term solution, but it now seems that both parties have come to an agreement, with Oxlade-Chamberlain accepting the initial offer, with a view to extend his stay in Glasgow’s east end.
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Providing an update on the situation, transfer guru Fabrizio Romano tweeted via his X account: “Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to Celtic, here we go! Verbal agreement in place for the midfielder. He’s in Glasgow today for new chapter on six month deal plus option to extend, as @AnthonyRJoseph reports.”
Oxlade-Chamberlain started his career at Southampton before joining Arsenal in 2011, where he made 198 appearances and won three FA Cups across a six-year spell.
He moved to Liverpool for £35m and helped the Reds win the Champions League, English Premier League, League Cup, Super Cup and Club World Cup during a trophy-laden spell at Anfield.
However, he also suffered several injury setbacks including knee ligament damage in April 2018 that kept him sidelined for a year. A hamstring injury during pre-season in July 2022 then led to a three-month lay-off, with Oxlade-Chamberlain making only nine league appearances in his final season on Merseyside.
He scored five goals in 46 outings for Besiktas and is now expected to officially seal his move to Celtic later today. However, he will NOT be included in the Europa League squad for the two-legged knockout play-off tie against Stuttgart after missing the registration deadline.
Due to his recent stint with playing competitive games, Oxlade-Chamberlain is expected to need some time to get up to speed with O’Neill likely to prioritise selecting players who are already deemed match-fit.
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