National World Top Stories from the Celebrity page Monday 3 November, 2025
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is back at Arsenal’s training ground - eight years after leaving the club.
Now 32, the midfielder made nearly 200 appearances for the Gunners after arriving from Southampton in 2011. His 2017 move to Liverpool for £35m, a then-club record sale, divided opinion among fans.
After six injury-hit seasons at Anfield, Oxlade-Chamberlain joined Besiktas, where his time ended abruptly this summer. The Turkish side terminated his contract by mutual agreement, reportedly paying £1.5m to part ways.
Without a club since, Arsenal have opened their doors at London Colney to let him rebuild fitness. Footage from Sky Sports showed the veteran putting in a shift alongside Mikel Arteta’s squad, ahead of their Champions League trip to Slavia Prague.
Oxlade-Chamberlain’s 2017 exit came after he turned down a new deal from Arsenal and signed for Liverpool on deadline day. He also hinted at the time that Arsenal supporters hadn’t always backed him through injuries.
He said: “I’ve had injuries in the past where it’s been difficult because pressure from fans has been ‘he’s injured again’ or ‘we can’t trust him he’s always injured’.
“But I’ve got injured here [at Liverpool] and I’ve had nothing but positive feedback from the fans, which for me I can’t thank them enough and that’s what keeps me going every day to try and reward their patience and support.”
His time in English football was littered with silverware. He helped Arsenal win three FA Cups in 2014, 2015, and 2017, before lifting the Premier League, Champions League, Carabao Cup, and UEFA Super Cup with Liverpool.
At Besiktas, he made 50 appearances, scored five goals, and won the Turkish Cup, though injuries and a changing managerial setup - including Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s brief tenure - left him sidelined.
Now a free agent, Oxlade-Chamberlain has been linked with clubs including Leeds United, Leicester City, and Birmingham City.
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