Southampton are looking at the possibility of bringing Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain back to the club 13 years after his exit, according to the latest reports.
The winger-turned-midfielder joined the Saints’ youth ranks at the age of seven and stayed with the club on the south coast until 2011, making his debut in the 2009/10 campaign, when Premier League giants Arsenal came calling and offered a reported fee of £12 million for the youngster.
By 17, Oxlade-Chamberlain was a regular first-team player under Arsene Wenger at the Emirates Stadium and went on to have an incredible career during his time with the Gunners and eventually Liverpool, winning three FA Cups, the League Cup, the Premier League and the coveted Champions League trophy, although the majority of his success came at Anfield.
.@Alex_OxChambo's journey at the Reds 💫 pic.twitter.com/wz0SVf1blA
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) June 1, 2023
As part of a major rebuild on Merseyside last summer, Liverpool allowed his contract to expire and the 35-cap England international was snapped up by Besiktas, but a devastating injury has kept him out for the majority of the campaign.
Now, according to a report from Turkish publication Sabah, via Inside Futbol, Southampton are weighing up a move in the summer for Oxlade-Chamberlain to bring him back to his boyhood club. The outlet are claiming that the Englishman welcomes a move back to England.
The versatile midfielder is still just 30 but has two years remaining on his current contract at the Besiktas Stadium, meaning the Saints would have to offer a transfer fee. His market value currently stands at £4.3 million, as per Transfermarkt.
Writer’s View
Oxlade-Chamberlain is certainly good enough to play in the Premier League, as he did with Liverpool last season. However, the biggest concern with the player has always been his proneness to injury. This reared its ugly head once again this season as he missed four months in Turkey with a muscle problem.
Nevertheless, a deal may depend on whether or not Southampton return to the top-flight this term as they will likely have to battle it out for promotion in the play-offs. The club likely won’t be able to afford his hefty wages next season should they remain in the Championship.
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