Guess who’s back on the market? Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain just got paid €1.75M to leave his club, clearing the path for a potential return to English football. Will his injury history prove too much, or is this the fresh start he needs to reignite his career? What are your predictions?

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, the former Liverpool and Arsenal star, has officially become a free agent after his contract with Turkish club Beşiktaş was mutually terminated, signaling an anticipated return to the landscape of English football.

The announcement from Beşiktaş confirmed that the versatile midfielder’s contract was ended a year ahead of schedule, with the club paying him a significant €1.75 million (£1.5 million, $2 million) as part of the agreement. This swift and concise statement, comprising merely 34 words, underscores the unceremonious nature of his departure from the Turkish Süper Lig side.

Oxlade-Chamberlain’s tenure at Beşiktaş, which began on a free transfer in the summer of 2023, mirrored the unfortunate pattern of his previous stint at Anfield. His time in Türkiye was severely hampered by a torn thigh muscle, forcing him to miss a staggering 100 consecutive days of action during his inaugural season and subsequently leading to his exclusion from the club’s 2024–25 league squad.

Prior to his move to Beşiktaş, the midfielder had an injury-riddled six years at Liverpool FC. Despite flashes of brilliance, particularly during the 2017-18 season, he missed a total of 105 games for the Merseyside club, a statistic that consistently overshadowed his potential and contribution.

His career trajectory is perhaps best encapsulated by his initial promise at Arsenal FC. Oxlade-Chamberlain commanded a then-club-record fee of €38 million when he transferred from Southampton, a testament to the high expectations placed upon him as a burgeoning talent in English football.

The perennial issue plaguing his professional journey has undeniably been his dire player injuries record. This consistent physical setback has prevented him from maintaining consistent form and fulfilling the immense potential he displayed early in his career, impacting his ability to establish himself as a consistent starter for elite clubs.

As the summer transfer window approaches, all signs point towards a return to English football for Oxlade-Chamberlain. Reports suggest that freshly promoted Championship club Birmingham City is among the teams showing considerable interest in the former Southampton academy graduate, offering him a potential new chapter.

The upcoming period will be crucial for the midfielder as he navigates the complexities of football transfers as a free agent. His ability to secure a move and, more importantly, stay fit will determine whether he can reignite a career that has been intermittently brilliant yet frequently disrupted by fitness woes, proving his resilience and enduring talent.