Sheffield United should avoid transfer for ex-Arsenal and Liverpool star: View | OneFootball

Sheffield United have been linked with a surprise move for former Arsenal and Liverpool star Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, according to reports in Turkey.

Turkish news outlet Sabah claimed on Monday that the Blades have expressed an interest in signing the 30-year-old, who currently plies his trade for Süper Lig giants, Besiktas.

Oxlade-Chamberlain, who won 35 caps for England and has seven international goals to his name, joined on a free transfer following his release from Liverpool last term.

The report also indicated that Besiktas, who finished sixth in the Süper Lig last season, are determined to keep the midfielder despite growing interest from England - in April, Sabah reported Southampton were weighing up a move to bring Oxlade-Chamberlain back to the club he left in 2011.

Besiktas' reluctance to part ways with Oxlade-Chamberlain should come as a relief to Sheffield United, who face a complex summer of rebuilding following their relegation.

The Blades' return to the top flight ended disastrously last season as they finished rock bottom with just 16 points and conceded a Premier League record 104 goals in 38 matches.

Busy summer on the cards at Bramall Lane

Chris Wilder is expected to overhaul his squad in a bid to mount a promotion push next term, with a flurry of departures and arrivals on the cards at Bramall Lane this summer.

The Blades have already confirmed that first-team regulars Chris Basham, George Baldock, Oliver Norwood, Wes Foderingham and Max Lowe will leave the club when their contracts expire this summer.

Together with reports suggesting Vinicius Souza could be sold this summer, Norwood's departure means Sheffield United's midfield could look drastically different next season with Gustavo Hamer currently the only guaranteed starter.

To that extent, signing Oxlade-Chamberlain would provide the Blades with some much-needed experience, along with a great deal of flair and an eye for goal - the 30-year-old, who joined Liverpool from Arsenal in a £35m deal in 2019, has scored 20 Premier League goals in his career.

Conversely, however, there are several red flags next to the former England international's name. First and foremost, Oxlade-Chamberlain's wages are likely to prove a sticking point in any deal.

According to figures provided by Capology, the midfielder earns in the region of £67,800-a-week at Besiktas, a salary which would make him by far and away the highest earner at the club.

Furthermore, with Oxlade-Chamberlain under contract with Besiktas until June 2026, the Turkish giants can command a fee for the midfielder.

Sheffield United spent £56m on players last summer, with the arrivals of Hamer, Souza and Cameron Archer partly financed by the sale of Iliman Ndiaye and Sander Berge to Olympique Marseille and Burnley respectively.

Wilder has holes across the park he must address and investing a sizeable portion of his budget on a single player seems ill-advised.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's injury record

Oxlade-Chamberlain's injury record should arguably be just as concerning for the Blades. The former England international played 30 games for Besiktas last term, but started just 11 of his 22 league appearances and missed three months with a thigh injury.

It was a familiar tale for the Southampton academy product, who made just 58 appearances in all competitions in his final three seasons at Anfield after joining from Arsenal in a

According to Transfermarkt.com, Oxlade-Chamberlain missed 105 games in five seasons at Liverpool due to a host of injuries, which included an ACL tear, two separate hamstring issues and another knee injury along with a minor ankle complaint.

Oxlade-Chamberlain hasn't played 30 league games in a single campaign since the 2019-20 season and seems ill-suited to the gruelling nature of the Championship with games every four days.

Signing the former Liverpool and Arsenal star may look like a major statement of intent, but it would also be a gamble the Blades can not afford to take.