Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain: Celtic sign ex-Arsenal and Liverpool midfielder on deal until end of season
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain had been training with former club Arsenal; the 32-year-old was a free agent after leaving Besiktas; the ex-England player has signed a deal until the summer with an option to extend by 12 months; he will not be eligible for Celtic's Europa League knockout play-off
Saturday 7 February 2026 16:33, UK
Celtic have signed former Arsenal and Liverpool midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
The England international, who was a free agent, has joined the Scottish champions until the end of the season, with the option to extend his stay by a further 12 months.
Oxlade-Chamberlain is the fifth player to be signed since manager Martin O'Neill returned for his second interim stint this season.
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Sky Sports News revealed Celtic's interest in the 32-year-old earlier this week, with O'Neill confirming the player wanted to move to the club after fresh talks on Friday.
He had been training with former club Arsenal since mutually terminating his contract with Turkish side Besiktas in August.
O'Neill said: "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."
Speaking to Celtic TV, Oxlade-Chamberlain said: "It's been a busy few days but I'm delighted and really excited," he said. "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."
The 35-times capped England player joins new loan signings Tomas Cvancara, Junior Adamu, Joel Mvuka and Benjamin Arthur as the Hoops look to catch leaders Hearts in the Scottish Premiership title race.
Julian Araujo also joined Celtic on loan from Bournemouth during the January transfer window while Wilfried Nancy was in charge of the side.
He could make his debut in Celtic's next league match on Wednesday as they face bottom-side Livingston, before a trip to second-bottom Kilmarnock on Sunday - live on Sky Sports.
However, Oxlade-Chamberlain will not be able to feature in the Europa League knockout play-off match against Stuttgart that follows, as his registration was not completed in time.
Instead, O'Neill has added Cvancara, Araujo and Adamu to his European squad, meaning Deadline Day arrivals Arthur and Mvuka also miss out.
