Celtic make statement signing of 'brilliant' 35-capped England international as Mikael Arteta sends classy message
The former Southampton, Arsenal and Liverpool midfielder has moved north of the border on a short-term deal as a free agent
New signing Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has described Celtic as the “perfect fit” for him at this stage of his career after joining the Scottish champions on a short-term deal until the summer.
The trophy-laden former Arsenal and Liverpool midfielder has put pen to paper on an initial six-month contract for the remainder of the season, with an option to extend his stay in Glasgow by a further year.
The 32-year-old - who has been capped 35 times for England - brings a wealth of experience and an impressive CV to Parkhead, having won the Champions League, English Premier League and FA Cup on three occasions.
He was most recently with Turkish side Besiktas, but returned to the UK last summer and spent a period of time training with his former club Arsenal to maintain his fitness.
Oxlade-Chamberlain - a produce of Southampton’s youth academy - moved to the North London club in 2011 and spent six years in which he racked up almost 200 appearances.
He joined Liverpool in 2017 and enjoyed the most successful period of his career, winning the league title, League Cup, Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup.
What has Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain said about signing for Celtic?
Oxlade-Chamberlain admits he is aware of expectation on him and revealed that his conversations with Martin O’Neill and first-team coach Shaun Maloney was enough to convince him of the move, along with some persuasive words from close friends Joe Hart and Andy Robertson.
Speaking to the club’s official website, Oxlade-Chamberlain said: ““It’s been a busy few days but I’m delighted and really excited. Speaking with the manager, it just felt like the perfect fit for me and I feel like I can come in and help out the lads.
“Just talking to the manager, and Shaun Maloney as well, who told the expectations on the club and what it means to play here, what our targets are and that he’s going to push me.
“That’s all the stuff I identify with and that’s the environment I’ve always been in and been lucky enough to be in.
“It’s exactly what I need. I need another challenge and lucky enough at a massive club like this. And they can help me get back to where I need to get to and, more importantly, I need to help the team achieve the goals we want to do.”
Martin O’Neill excited to add different ‘dimension’ to Celtic
Oxlade-Chamberlain scored five goals in 46 appearances for Besiktas and clinched a Turkish Cup winner’s medal during his two-year spell, but he has been without a club since last summer and hasn’t played a competitive game since May.
Discussing the free agent capture, interim boss O'Neill commented: “We are really pleased to bring Alex to Celtic. He still has so much to offer the game, and I am sure he can add another dimension to us with his great ability and wealth of experience in the game.
“Above all, he is passionate and excited about this move himself so we are welcoming a great player who is hungry to help us achieve as much as we can.”
What has Arsenal boss Mikael Arteta said about ‘brilliant’ player
Oxlade-Chamberlain bid farewell to those at Arsenal on Thursday before heading north of the border. A former team-mate of boss Mikael Arteta at the Emirates, the Spaniard revealed he enjoyed his reunion with the veteran star in recent months.
“He’s been brilliant,” Arteta stated earlier this week. “It’s been great to share some time with him, his experiences. Obviously, we played together as well, so some great memories. It’s been really helpful to us.
“Hopefully we could help him and support him in that tough period for him and wish him all the very best whatever he decides to do.”