Celtic have activated the one-year option in Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s contract, and Martin O’Neill believes supporters have still to see the best of the former England international.
The 32-year-old arrived as a free agent after the January transfer window had closed, signing a deal until the end of the 2025/26 season with the club holding the option of a further year.
Any doubts were quickly eased on his debut.
Coming off the bench against Livingston, Oxlade-Chamberlain announced himself with a stoppage-time winner, giving the Celtic support an early glimpse of the quality that had once made him one of England’s most highly-rated midfielders.
His second goal for the club also proved decisive. A first-half strike against St Mirren secured all three points during the closing weeks of the campaign as Celtic continued their push towards a Premiership and Scottish Cup double.
In total, he made 12 appearances after arriving in Glasgow. His game time tailed off towards the end of the season, failing to get off the bench in four of Celtic’s final five league matches, but O’Neill believes a full pre-season could make a significant difference.
The Celtic manager confirmed Oxlade-Chamberlain will be part of the club’s training camp in Portugal and expects the midfielder to benefit from finally having a proper summer with the squad.
“I wanted Oxlade-Chamberlain to come back and he will join us in Portugal. In fact, he’ll be there before we get there so that’ll be nice.
“You can say all sorts of things but I think the pre-season with us, rather than intermittently with Arsenal and sometimes with Arsenal’s youth team, will be good for him.
“I’m hoping that’s the case because he’s a very fine player. Are the Celtic fans still to see the best of him?
“I think so, yes. I think there’s more to come. It’s not as if he’s that old or anything.
“I think he’s also loved it at the football club. Last season he probably would have liked some more minutes in games but some of his contributions were massive for us.
“There were two in particular which I know got us points that otherwise we wouldn’t have got,” (SunSport).
O’Neill’s comments suggest Celtic see Oxlade-Chamberlain as more than just an experienced squad option. While he is unlikely to dislodge the first-choice midfielders if everyone is fit, there is clearly a belief that his first six months only scratched the surface.
That could prove important over the coming weeks.
Arne Engels, Reo Hatate and Benjamin Nygren have all attracted transfer interest, leaving uncertainty over how Celtic’s midfield will look by the time the transfer window closes. Having a player with Oxlade-Chamberlain’s experience already in the building gives O’Neill another option as the squad evolves.
Celtic are still expected to strengthen before the new season gets underway. Camilo Duran has agreed personal terms and is edging closer to completing his move, but supporters will hope more additions follow.
For Oxlade-Chamberlain, though, the focus is simple. After arriving short of match fitness and playing catch-up throughout the second half of last season, he now has the opportunity to build properly through pre-season. If O’Neill is right, Celtic supporters could see a very different player over the next 12 months.
