OXLade-CHAMBERLAIN TO CELTIC? EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW
Celtic’s reported interest in Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has sparked discussion, but a closer examination of both the player and the club’s current needs suggests the move would fall well short of addressing the most urgent issue in Brendan Rodgers’ squad the lack of a natural right-sided winger.
At 32 years old, Oxlade-Chamberlain is a vastly different player from the explosive wide attacker who once burst through at Arsenal. Over time, his role has steadily drifted away from the flanks and into central areas, a transition influenced as much by necessity as by choice. A series of serious knee and muscle injuries have inevitably altered his playing style, reducing the sharp acceleration and repeated sprinting that are essential for a modern winger. As a result, his recent football at both Liverpool and Besiktas came largely in midfield zones, where his experience and ball-carrying ability could be used without demanding constant high-intensity wide runs.
Crucially, he has not operated as a right winger in any meaningful sense for several seasons. He is no longer a player who stays wide, stretches the pitch, or consistently isolates full-backs in one-versus-one situations. Asking him to suddenly assume that role again particularly in a league where opponents often defend deep and force wide players to repeatedly beat their man would be an unrealistic expectation and a significant tactical gamble.
Celtic’s requirement, by contrast, is crystal clear. The squad lacks a specialist right-sided attacker with genuine pace, directness, and the ability to hold width for extended periods. In matches where Celtic dominate possession and face compact defensive blocks, that type of winger is essential to opening up space, dragging defenders out of position, and preventing the attack from becoming narrow and predictable. This problem has been evident for weeks, if not longer, and remains unresolved as the transfer window edges toward its closing stages.
The broader context surrounding Oxlade-Chamberlain also raises questions about how realistic a Celtic move would be. He is currently training with Arsenal, and while there has been no firm indication of a return, Mikel Arteta has not completely shut the door on the idea. Arsenal’s growing injury list has kept the situation fluid, and Oxlade-Chamberlain’s continued involvement around the club suggests he is fit enough to be considered as short-term cover or depth if circumstances demand it.
Nevertheless, fitness remains the dominant concern. His recent career has been defined by long absences and stop-start availability, with knee and muscle problems preventing him from building sustained momentum or playing regular football over a prolonged period. For Celtic, a club that relies heavily on tempo, pressing, and repeated high-intensity actions particularly from wide areas that history significantly limits how much he could be relied upon across a demanding domestic and European schedule.
If Celtic were to press ahead, the logic behind the move would be rooted in experience and squad depth rather than positional necessity. Oxlade-Chamberlain could offer versatility in central midfield, provide leadership in the dressing room, and contribute in certain match situations either from the bench or in carefully managed rotation. He could help control games, carry the ball through midfield, or offer a different profile in specific tactical setups.
What he would not do, however, is solve the right-wing issue that has consistently undermined Celtic’s attacking balance. That problem requires a younger, faster, and more specialist wide player someone capable of providing width, penetration, and relentless running from the touchline.
With the proposed move for Mvuka now in doubt and time running out in the window, Oxlade-Chamberlain may appear to some as a pragmatic or low-risk option. In reality, he represents a compromise rather than a solution. While he could add something to the squad in a limited role, he is not the answer to Celtic’s most pressing tactical problem out wide a problem that continues to define the club’s transfer priorities as the deadline approaches.
