Celtic announced on their official website on Sunday that former Arsenal and Liverpool England international attacking midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has joined the club on a free transfer.

According to Celtic'sofficial statement, Oxlade-Chamberlain has signed on a short-term contract which will only run until the end of the season, with an option to extend for a further year. He will also wear his signature number 21 shirt.

After completing his transfer procedures, Oxlade-Chamberlain, who was interviewed by the Scottish Premiership giants' official website for the first time, said, "It's been a busy few days, but I'm very happy and excited." 

"After speaking with the head coach, I felt this place was a perfect fit for me. I felt I could integrate into the team and help my teammates."

"I spoke with the head coach and Shaun Maloney (assistant coach). They told me the club's expectations of me, what it means to play here, what our goals are, and they said they would push me."

"These are exactly what I identify with, and it's the atmosphere I've always been in. I'm very fortunate to be playing here."

"This is exactly what I need. I need new challenges, and I'm lucky to join such a prestigious club. They can help me get back to my peak, and more importantly, I need to help the team achieve our goals."

About Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain

The 32-year-old Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was born on August 15, 1993, in Portsmouth, England. Standing at 1.8 meters tall, he primarily plays as an attacking midfielder, but can also play as a left winger, right winger, or support striker. His wife is Perry Edwards, a member of the popular British girl group Little Mix. His father, Alec, was a legendary goalkeeper at Portsmouth. His younger brother, Christian, currently plays for non-league club Truro City as a right-back.

Oxlade-Chamberlain joined Southampton's youth academy at the age of seven and completed his first-team debut in March 2010 at the age of 16 years and 199 minutes, breaking the club record previously held by former teammate Theo Walcott to become the youngest player to ever play for Southampton.

Thanks to his outstanding performances, Oxlade-Chamberlain helped the club secure promotion to the Championship as runners-up in the 2010/11 League One season, attracting Arsenal's attention.

In August 2011, Oxlade-Chamberlain moved to Arsenal for £15 million.

During his six-year spell with the Gunners, Oxlade-Chamberlain won the FA Cup three times and the Community Shield three times, earning a place in the England national team and further solidifying his status as a household name in the UK.

On the 2017 summer transfer window deadline day, Oxlade-Chamberlain joined Liverpool for £35 million.

After joining the Reds, Oxlade-Chamberlain's goal-scoring efficiency improved significantly, and he even went on a scoring spree during the 2019/20 season.

However, since suffering a serious injury during the 2020 preseason friendlies, Oxlade-Chamberlain's appearances for the club have drastically decreased due to injury problems.

During his six-year spell at the Reds, Oxlade-Chamberlain made 146 appearances for the Reds in all competitions, scoring 18 goals and providing 15 assists, winning one Premier League title, one Carabao Cup, one Champions League title, one UEFA Super Cup, and one FIFA Club World Cup with the club.

After his contract expired in August 2023, Oxlade-Chamberlain joined Beşiktaş on a free transfer.

After leaving Beşiktaş last summer, Oxlade-Chamberlain returned to Arsenal for trials from October to December, but failed to secure a contract.

During his two-year spell with Kara Kartallar, Oxlade-Chamberlain made 50 appearances for the Turkish Süper Lig giants in all competitions, scoring 5 goals and providing 1 assist, winning the Turkish Cup once with the club.

Image source: Internet / Celtic official website