Lately, everything at Besiktas has been going great. The addition of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer gave the team, and several players in particular, a fresh lease on life. They hope to finish in the top four this season in order to gain entry into a European competition.
At Besiktas Stadium, it hasn’t always been the case. The Turkish media has lauded Solskjaer’s tactical adaptability and ability to create a homely atmosphere despite the occasional loss, but how are his players adjusting to life under him?
Now let’s examine Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. The Englishman’s career and accomplishments were widely publicised when he made his Southampton first-team debut at the early age of 16, becoming the second-youngest player in club history.
Although his moves to Arsenal and Liverpool were not shocking, there were rumours about his future destination after his contract with the latter expired. Naturally, it was Besiktas, but how is the midfield player adjusting to life under Solskjaer?
A Southampton academy graduate who underwent rejuvenation under Solskjaer, Oxlade-Chamberlain is currently used as a defensive midfielder.
The usual haunting ground for well-paid players in European circles seeking frequent senior proceedings, such as Didier Drogba, Mesut Ozil, and Dele Alli, has been Turkey, particularly clubs located in Besiktas.
When Oxlade-Chamberlain left Anfield in 2023, he became one of the select few who traded his own country for Turkey. The 35-cap England international played just one full ninety minutes in the league during his rookie season.
In Turkey, Oxlade-Chamberlain has experienced his share of difficulties. The Norwegian strategist had just been with his current employers for a year before his arrival; according to reports, the club was attempting to transfer his £70,000 weekly salary.
The Black Eagles’ general secretary, Kaan Sakul, disclosed in September 2024 that Oxlade-Chamberlain was left out of their Europa League roster as a result. He stated: “He [Oxlade-Chamberlain] was the first name to go,” according to football.london.
He believed he would locate a club on his own. He set a cost for us. “I’ll go if you pay,” he said. However, he also gave up on going.
In other news, Giovanni van Bronckhorst, the manager of Besiktas who was hired in July 2024 and fired in November 2024, did not give the midfield player a single first-team minute before he quit.
Oxlade-Chamberlain has accepted a new role under the direction of the former Cardiff City manager, one that he is not used to but has adapted to really easily. He is now responsible for screening in front of their defensive midfield line.
Most fans will recall him either racing up and down either flank as an all-out winger or strutting his stuff as a central midfielder, but Solskjaer’s choice to position the Portsmouth-born star farther back has benefited both sides.
With the
In addition to being an exciting prospect at the club level, Oxlade-Chamberlain made history as one of England’s youngest goal scorers in 2012 when he scored in their 5-0 triumph over San Marino in a World Cup qualifying match.
As previously said, he rose through Southampton’s youth before being noticed by Arsenal, with whom he later won three FA Cups in 2014, 2015, and 2017. After relocating to north London in August 2011, Oxlade-Chamberlain made 198 appearances.
Photos of Phil Jones, Eden Hazard, and Thiago Alcantara taken in 2012
Related: Where Are the 15 Young Players Who Were Suggested to Be Great in 2012?
Some of these people more than lived up to the hype, but others definitely fell short of the high expectations placed on them.
Naturally, Liverpool had the most successful run of his long, six-year tenure. He won the Champions League in 2019–20 after making 146 appearances on Merseyside, and he and his teammates dominated the Premier League the following season.
According to reports in January 2025, Oxlade-Chamberlain’s possible return to the Premier League was still possible, despite his fiancée, pop singer Perrie Edwards, implying that it was challenging to live apart. Wolverhampton Wanderers were debating whether to make an offer for the 31-year-old, according to The Sun.
Statistics for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s Club Career
Club
Games
Objectives
Helps
Red/Yellow Cards
The Arsenal
198
20
27
8/0
Liverpool
146
18
14
4/0
Besiktas
45
5.
One
1/1
Southampton
43
10.
9.
2/0
The former Manchester United manager might not be able to profit from the midfielder’s comeback, but since the former Champions League winner’s contract expires in 2026, it might be tempting to let him go. They might, however, prolong his terms.
Dying football players can learn from Oxlade-Chamberlain’s experience, which is an example of genuine tenacity. It’s unclear if he will stay put past the upcoming summer transfer window, but he keeps defying the odds and quieting the doubters in the process.
exception of two games in January 2025, he has usually been relied upon from the start as a sign of Solskjaer’s faith in him. He has been a constant since December, when he scored in his team’s 1-0 victory over Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce (after coming on as a replacement).
Wolves are among the teams interested in the seasoned midfield player, who is expected to return to the Premier League.
