Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has said that this is the first time in years he has been able to build properly towards a new season, and Celtic could be the side that benefits from it.
The 32-year-old midfielder signed a one-year extension earlier this summer after initially arriving as a free agent once the winter transfer window had closed.
His impact after joining was immediate. Oxlade-Chamberlain marked his debut with a stoppage-time winner against Livingston before following that up with the only goal in Celtic’s 1-0 victory over St Mirren in April.
Despite those moments, opportunities were limited during the closing weeks of the campaign. He made only brief appearances from the bench, including in the Scottish Cup final, with that win over St Mirren remaining his last start of the 25/26 season.
Speaking to Celtic Player, Oxlade-Chamberlain admitted this has been his first uninterrupted pre-season for quite some time.
“I think for me, this is probably actually my first proper pre-season in a good three years, I’d say. With where I was at before, this time in the window in Turkey, I was sort of in and out, leaving, not leaving, so I wasn’t part of the team.
“So it’s actually really nice this year to have had a proper pre-season with the lads. And it’s strange for me that I didn’t have that for the last couple of years. So I’ve really enjoyed that.
“That helps a lot. Obviously, it gives you the fitness that you need and as well, just helps sort of refresh the mind from everything that we were touching on last year, how we were trying to play, things that we were good at, things we were not so good at. It gives you more time to work with that.
“So yes, I think even though, I don’t know what season this might be, 18th pre-season for me now, you still get that same buzz. And I’m still running around with a few 16, 17-year-olds out there who are excited. So you feed off that sort of energy and you feel the same age as always.”
It’s a revealing admission from a player whose recent years have lacked stability.
Between injuries and uncertainty over his club future in Turkey, Oxlade-Chamberlain has not had the chance to enjoy the kind of uninterrupted summer that most players rely on to build fitness and rhythm.
That makes this pre-season an important one, particularly with Martin O’Neill looking for experienced options who can contribute across a long campaign.
Minutes against Sporting CP, Middlesbrough and AC Milan have given Oxlade-Chamberlain valuable time on the pitch before competitive football returns.
Whether he starts or is used from the bench, he should arrive at Monday night’s Premiership opener in far better condition than he was able to manage after joining midway through last season. For a player looking to make a bigger impression in green and white, that could make all the difference.
