Oxlade-Chamberlain Trains with Arsenal U21 in Club Search

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, the 32-year-old former Arsenal and Liverpool midfielder, is training with Arsenal's under-21 squad at their London Colney facility as he searches for a new club following the termination of his contract with Besiktas in August.

The England international, who has 35 caps from 2012 to 2019, became a free agent after Besiktas mutually agreed to end his two-year deal early, reportedly paying him a severance of around 1.75 million euros. During his time in Turkey, Oxlade-Chamberlain made 50 appearances, scored five goals and won the Turkish Cup in the 2023-24 season, though injuries and a squad reshuffle under managers including Ole Gunnar Solskjaer limited his playing time.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, who joined the club alongside Oxlade-Chamberlain in 2011, welcomed the arrangement during a press conference this week. "He is a top character, one of the best characters I've met in football," Arteta said. "If we can help him and give him the space for him to get up to speed and have the capacity to find a club, it's a joy. The boys will learn from it. I had the privilege to play with him, and if he is around, he will be a really good role model to have...