Beşiktaş have announced that Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s contract has been mutually terminated one year before it was set to expire ahead of what is widely expected to be a return to English football.
The former Arsenal and Liverpool midfielder left Merseyside to join Beşiktaş on a free transfer in the summer of 2023. Much like his time at Anfield, Oxlade-Chamberlain’s spell in Türkiye was littered with injuries. A torn muscle in his thigh forced the versatile Englishman to miss 100 consecutive days during his first season and was left out of the club’s squad for the 2024–25 Europa League league phase.
Oxlade-Chamberlain didn’t make his first appearance of the domestic season until December. It wasn’t a campaign entirely devoid of bright sparks for the 32-year-old, who scored the only goal in a sweet victory over José Mourinho’s Fenerbahçe. Operating everywhere from right back to right wing, while also popping up in central midfield, Oxlade-Chamberlain managed to enjoy a run of starts before damaging his knee ligaments in May.
Beşiktaş didn’t offer a heartwarming farewell for their outgoing player, announcing that Oxlade-Chamberlain had been paid €1.75 million (£1.5 million, $2 million) to have his contract prematurely terminated in a statement which stretched to just 34 words.
The expectation is that Oxlade-Chamberlain will make a return to English football this summer. Birmingham Mail credit freshly promoted Championship outfit Birmingham City with interest in the former Southampton academy graduate.
The Blues romped to the League One title last season, finishing 19 points ahead of Wrexham. After opening the Championship campaign with a 1–1 draw at home to relegated Ipswich Town, Birmingham picked up consecutive victories over Blackburn Rovers and Oxford United.
As ever, the issue with Oxlade-Chamberlain is his dire injury record. After becoming the most expensive sale in Arsenal history—a €38 million fee which still stands as a record for the Gunners to this day—the hard-running midfielder missed 105 games across six years at Liverpool.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Forgotten Former Arsenal, Liverpool Star Paid to Become Free Agent.
