Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain update emerges involving Arsenal - Birmingham City had been eyeing a transfer | OneFootball

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has been linked with a move to Birmingham City in recent months, but he is now back training with former club Arsenal.

Former Arsenal midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is currently back training with the Gunners as his search for a new club continues following speculation linking him with a move to Birmingham City.

Oxlade-Chamberlain joined Arsenal from Southampton for a fee of £12 million in August 2011, and he went on to score 20 goals and provide 28 assists in 198 games for the North London outfit.

After six years at the Emirates Stadium, Oxlade-Chamberlain made the move to Liverpool for a fee of £35 million in August 2017, and during an illustrious spell at Anfield, he scored 18 goals and registered 14 assists in 146 appearances, as well as winning the Premier League, Champions League, EFL Cup, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup.

Oxlade-Chamberlain then joined Besiktas after being released by the Reds in the summer of 2023, but after a frustrating two-year spell in Turkey, during which he scored just five goals in 50 games, his contract was terminated by mutual consent, with the club paying him a severance fee of €1.75 million (£1.5 million).

Over two months on from his departure, Oxlade-Chamberlain remains without a club, but he has been strongly linked with a return to English football, and he is now back training with Arsenal.

Surprise Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Arsenal development emerges following Birmingham City links

While Oxlade-Chamberlain is still a free agent, it seems he has had plenty of suitors since his exit from Besiktas, and, according to the BBC, Birmingham held a "strong interest" in the 32-year-old this summer.

After the Blues left one space available in their 25-man squad, speculation gathered pace that Oxlade-Chamberlain could be set to arrive at St Andrew's @ Knighthead Park, but manager Chris Davies later revealed that the club were not looking to bring in a free agent, which poured cold water on the rumours.

"I think we’re OK," Davies told Birmingham Live in September.

"We’ve got Scott (Wright) and Lee (Buchanan) who are long-term injuries but if things really accelerate for Scott, who is a bit sooner, then they could take over that space.

"You leave that as an option just in case there’s an injury crisis and you have that room to manoeuvre and get somebody else in.

"We’re not planning or looking to fill that space unless we really need to."

Oxlade-Chamberlain's former club Southampton were also said to be considering a move for the midfielder in the summer, along with sides from the Premier League, but as his search for a new home continues, he has made a shock return to training with Arsenal.

However, Oxlade-Chamberlain has only linked up with the Gunners in an attempt to maintain his fitness while he is a free agent, rather than the move being with a view to any possible contract offer.

Oxlade-Chamberlain is not the first former player to resume training with Arsenal while they have been without a club in recent times, with ex-midfielder Jack Wilshere also doing so in 2021 after being released by Bournemouth, while striker Tyreece John-Jules was allowed to train at London Colney last month prior to his move to Scottish Premiership side Kilmarnock.

Birmingham City should not be tempted by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain move after fresh Arsenal update

With Oxlade-Chamberlain now back on English soil and training with Arsenal, it seems he is stepping up his attempts to find a new club after his summer departure from Besiktas, but Birmingham should resist the temptation to reignite their interest.

Having spent much of his career at the highest level, Oxlade-Chamberlain would add plenty of quality to any Championship side, and his wage demands would not be a problem for any of his suitors, with the midfielder believed to be keen not to price himself out of a move.

The Blues could reconsider their stance on signing a free agent after their inconsistent start to the season, but they already have plenty of depth in midfield, and bringing in a high-profile name like Oxlade-Chamberlain, who would expect regular game time, could give Davies an unnecessary selection headache.