Liam Scales told how glamour signing Oxlade-Chamberlain and the rest of the January signings were welcomed into the squad
06:00, 11 Feb 2026
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Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain might have been given the VIP treatment by Celtic.
But the marquee signing was quickly brought back down to earth when he met his new teammates. The ex-Liverpool and Arsenal star has rubbed shoulders with some of football’s biggest names, winning both the Premier League and Champions League along the way.
But there was no old-school initiation song waiting for him at Parkhead. Instead, Oxlade-Chamberlain faced a more hands-on tradition, running the gauntlet as the Hoops squad lined up to dish out a few friendly slaps.
Defender Liam Scales was in the thick of it as he lifted the lid on how the club's January arrivals broke the ice.
The Irishman laughed: "No, we don't do the songs, but they have to run through a tunnel and everyone gets to slap them. You know, outside on the pitch, everyone gets in two lines. They have to run through the middle and you can just smack them on the back.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in Celtic training
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Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in Celtic training(Image: SNS Group)
"I think people pulled a few punches on Alex yesterday. A bit easier than the younger lads. That's how it tends to go. I think if you're a younger lad, you might get it worse, but that's been brought in with Martin and Shaun. It's good."
Even if he picked up one or two bumps, Scales insists the former England international is already showing his class on the training pitch.
He said: "He's experienced and he's been in world-class dressing rooms and he knows how to handle himself.
"He's kind of slotted in really well and then to see him on the pitch there, he's got incredible technical ability and you can see why he's played at the level he's played.
"He's a really, really good player and a really intelligent player. You can tell just even from today. I'm looking forward to seeing him play as well. He looks really, really sharp.
"When you see someone come in who's played at a really high level for years, you can tell the little differences. They have that elite level and I feel like he has that."
Oxlade-Chamberlain hasn’t kicked a ball in anger since leaving Besiktas last May, but the 32-year-old could make his Celtic bow against Livingston tonight.
And Scales is convinced the midfielder still has plenty of hunger left.
He said: "Yeah, definitely. I think he still has a lot to give based on what I've seen and how he holds himself.
"He comes across as really ambitious and wanting to come in and make a difference. It's good to see. He looks really sharp. We're just looking forward to seeing how it goes for him.
"He's played in massive games and I think he'll get a taste of what big games are like up here now.
"It's something different and his experience will help us as a team. They're the type of players you want to be playing with."
Scales also believes the high-profile arrival has given everyone around Lennoxtown a lift.
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He added: "Yeah, definitely. I watched a lot of him. I've seen a lot of him when he was at Arsenal and Liverpool.
"I've always thought he was a brilliant player. You kind of think it would be good to see what he's like up close and get to know him and play with him. It's exciting."