Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has spent two seasons playing for Besiktas, but manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer would be about to end his spell in Turkey, with Leicester interested in his services
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is watched by Leicester after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has made it clear that Besiktas wants to sell it this summer. Oxlade-Chamberlain has just ended his second season with Besiktas and it seems that he could approach the end of his time in Istanbul.
The former midfielder of Arsenal arrived in Turkey in the summer of 2023 after leaving Liverpool on a free transfer. He has passed a roller coaster time with Besiktas and played under nine different managers for his two years.
Initially it seemed as if he would leave the club last summer, only a year after his three -year contract, after he was frozen by Giovanni van Bronckhorst. But he rode the short-lived enchanting of Van Bronckhorst and eventually became more involved when ex-manchester United boss Solskjaer arrived.
The 31-year-old, who is engaged to singer Perrie Edwards, eventually made 20 performances in all competitions, although he was not eligible to play in the Europa League, which was omitted from the team. He seemed to bloom under the management of Solskjaer, but his wages have presented a problem.
According to reports in Turkey, Bestikas want to get his £ 2.2 million annual salary from their wage account and Leicester approached the club about signing Oxlade-Chamberlain. The foxes are exiled to the championship and are rebuilt after the fire ran van Nistelrooy and the release of a group of players.
Oxlade-Chamberlain has the Premier League, Champions League, Carabao Cup, Super Cup and Club World Cup with Liverpool, three FA-Bekers won with Arsenal and has demanded the Turkish Cup and Turkish Super Cup with Bestikas, despite its struggles there.
Nevertheless, it seems that in this phase of his career he is looking for regular playing time, which previously struggled with injuries and with rotation.
Speaking with athletics in October 2023, he said: “Whatever your career path is, it's about what you keep motivated. For some people it can be money. For others it is winning. Others may just want to score goals. Whatever it is, you want to be satisfied. That is what you give to continue.
“I just want to play. I have to play, use this opportunity and see what I can still achieve while my legs are still moving.”
Solskjaer will have to follow a pragmatic approach with Besiktas because of their situation. “Everyone knows that you need time to shape a team to how you want it to look like. But you have to manage it as well as possible, not as you would like,” Solskjaer told BBC Sport last month.
“There are things that I want my team to do this is not possible. We have come in a difficult financial period because the club has spent money in the past, perhaps not so wise.”
He added: “Look, recruitment is probably the most important thing in football. You need the structures well and you have to get the right people.
“When you manage two, three, four or five different players of managers, it is difficult to balance it in a team that you want to see. Everyone knows that you need continuity and patience to get success, but don't get too much.”