Celtic are said to have made a decision over one of their out of contract stars after returning for pre-season. The Bhoys have had a slow transfer window so far, yet to make any new signings despite Martin O'Neill wanting to get up and running quickly this summer.
Poor recruitment almost cost Celtic last season, but they already find themselves playing catch-up with just a month to go until the start of the new season.
Oxlade-Chamberlain to depart
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is out of contract with Celtic following his short-term deal that saw him join for free last season. The former Arsenal star went on to make 12 appearances for the Bhoys and played an important part, even if his starts were limited later in the season.
The midfielder's contract officially expired on June 30, and prior to that, Celtic had the option of adding a further year to it. But instead of returning for pre-season last Friday, Oxlade-Chamberlain has been training alone in Portugal, and The Sun have followed up with a report that Celtic are unlikely to offer a new deal.
Oxalde-Chamberlain's experience could be useful, but at 32 years of age, it's not a huge surprise to see Celtic move on. He was a smart signing to help the Bhoys through the end of last season, especially with Arne Engels having struggled with injury around that time.
But O'Neill will likely feel he is better served by having more legs in the midfield.
O'Neill's praise for the Ox
Speaking after Oxlade-Chamberlain's debut back in February, O'Neill said; “He’s been a class player, there’s no question about it.
“He’s played for big teams and performed brilliantly so I’m just really delighted to have him and getting him onto the field as well too.
“He turns the game for us which is brilliant. It was a great strike and I was right behind it when I saw it. The minute it left his foot, I thought, ‘this is in’.
“I think that he can give us something, no question about that. He’s a really decent player and he gets up to speed with things. He’s only done it a couple of days and I couldn’t be more pleased with him.
“He’s made a big impact, believe it or not, even in the training sessions with the rest of the players, which is always a good sign.
Celtic and Oxlade-Chamberlain will now likely go their sepearate ways, and attention turns to Kelechi Iheanacho, given he is in the same contract situation with the Bhoys.
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