Oxlade-Chamberlain, 32, wakes up unemployed as Solskjaer rips up contract

ALEX OXLADE-CHAMBERLAIN has woken up unemployed after having his contract ripped up.

The midfielder, who has 35 caps for England, still had a year remaining on his contract with Besiktas but has agreed a £1.5million compensation deal as a part of the mutual termination.

2 Alex Oxlade Chamberlain is now a free agent Credit: Getty

It comes after a turbulent spell in the Turkish Super League.

Reports claim that Besiktas offered to pay his severance in instalments but that was rejected by the midfielder, who instead preferred to have the sum paid in full following a meeting with the Black Eagles board.

The ex-Liverpool and Arsenal star won the Turkish Cup with Besiktas in the 2023-24 season but, similarly to the rest of his career, struggled with injuries and was frozen out of the squad at times last season.

Former Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who is now in charge at Besiktas, preferred to use other options in midfield last year as Oxlade-Chamberlain fell down the pecking order.

Oxlade-Chamberlain has been linked to a return to England with reports linking him with Premier League side Leeds United and Championship outfits Leicester City and Birmingham City.

Leeds United have been very busy this window, recruiting 10 players already to bolster Daniel Farke's side in a bid to keep them in the top flight.

In addition they've have been hit with injury blows to Ao Tanaka and Ethan Ampadu in the midfield and are seeking reinforcements before the end of the transfer window.

A move back to England would allow The Ox's fiancée Perrie Edwards to move in with him after nine years of never living together.

The Little Mix icon revealed in 2024 that the couple, who share a child, had never lived together during their relationship.

She told ITV: "I can't lie, it is hard. When he was playing for Liverpool and based in Manchester, it was so easy to do the back and forth but Turkey is a little bit further and he doesn't get a lot of time off.

"I'm trying to launch a solo career whilst having a two year old so it is a lot to juggle but we make it work for the ones we love don't we?

"We've never lived together anyway - the whole eight years we've been in a relationship, we've never actually lived together."

Starting his career at Southampton, The Ox, signed for Arsenal in 2011 and featured just under 200 times for the Gunners, winning three FA Cups in that time.

Badgered with injuries, Oxlade-Chamberlain moved to Liverpool in 2017 where he enjoyed the most success in his career.

In his 148 appearances for the Reds, he won the Champions League , the Premier League, the League Cup, the UEFA Super Cup and the Club World Cup.

2 Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and his fiancée, Perrie Edwards via Perrie's Instagram. Credit: Instagram/@perrieedwards