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Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain Features as Arsenal U21s Beat Man Utd U21s
There was a surprise former Arsenal player on the teamsheet as the Gunners’ Under-21s thrashed Manchester United’s Under-21s 3-0 in a behind-closed-doors friendly at St George’s Park on Saturday afternoon. Gabriel Jesus featured to regain match sharpness, while 15-year-old wonderkid Max Dowman found the back of the net.
Charles Sagoe Junior also got in on the scoring, but the occasion was somewhat soured as the game ended with 10 men after James Overy was sent off for two bookings. However, it is the inclusion of one former Arsenal player that has grabbed all the headlines from an otherwise low-key kickabout aimed at aiding long-term development and fitness.
Now 32 years old and having played 198 times for the north Londoners – including sharing the pitch with manager Mikel Arteta – no one could have predicted that Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain would ever be seen wearing the red of Arsenal again.
Shock Former Arsenal Player Features in Under-21s Friendly
Arteta said it was a joy to have Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain back at Arsenal, as the former Gunners ace started training with the club again last month. The 35-cap England international has been without a club since leaving Besiktas in August but is not heading into early retirement and is hoping to find new employers.
The 32-year-old was pictured training with Arsenal’s youth team in November and has now featured in a friendly to help him stay fit. Arteta and Oxlade-Chamberlain both signed for Arsenal in August 2011, and the Spaniard has very fond memories of working with his fellow midfielder, as he told The Metro:
“Top, top character. I had the privilege to play with him and if he is around he will be a really good role model to have around the team.”
Arteta hopes Arsenal can help the free agent secure a move to a new club, but feels the former Liverpool player can have a positive impact on Gunners youngsters while he is in north London. The midfielder joined Arsenal from Southampton in 2011 and went on to make nearly 200 appearances for the Gunners, scoring 20 goals and winning three FA Cups.
Which Club Will ‘The Ox’ Join?
With family in mind, Oxlade-Chamberlain told Ben Foster on the Fozcast podcast when asked if any approaches for his services have been made that, while he had turned down offers, he is looking for a return to football that would see him closer to England:
“Yes, but to be fair, most of them have been Europe, away from home,” he said. “For me, I did two years away, which I found difficult on a family level. I was going 6-8 weeks without seeing my son and my missus. Mum and dad didn’t even get a look in because if I came back for a day or two, it would be seeing them [his son and fiancee].
“That was difficult, and I knew that I didn’t want to do that again – I wanted to be back in England. It’s just waiting for the right thing to pop up back here, that makes sense for my family.”
He added: “Once you have children, it changes things – it’s not all just about me now, or about football, it needs to suit them as well. I’ve had offers, and I’ve had to say no to them because they weren’t right for me and for us. It’s about waiting for the right project, something I can be excited about, to go into and hit the ground running.”
In 2017, he made a move to Liverpool in a £35m deal and went on to play 146 times for the Reds, scoring 18 times and winning the Premier League and Champions League. He was a key part of Jurgen Klopp’s pressing system, but injuries ultimately proved to be his downfall.
He departed the Premier League in 2023 at the end of his Liverpool contract and signed for Besiktas, where he played 50 times, winning the Turkish Cup before his contract was terminated in August. He was linked with moves to Birmingham City and Southampton, but no deal ever came to fruition.
