Celtic are closing in on the signing of Axel Oxlade Chamberlain as a free agent with an announcement expected today.
Oxlade-Chamberlain has been without a club since leaving Besiktas in August, with the 32-year-old having maintained his fitness recently by training with former club Arsenal.
Celtic are now nearing an agreement on a six-month short-term deal for Oxlade-Chamberlain, with interim manager Martin O’Neill having expressed his interest in the player earlier this week.
“I’ve spoken to him, but I’m sure he has plenty of options, maybe closer to London,” revealed O’Neill.
“I’d be very interested in doing it. I’m surprised people haven’t taken him up.
“I think he was very excited about what we were saying. He knows all about the club, he’s a big friend of Joe Hart and Joe has spoken to him – not on our behalf.
“It’s something we’re interested in but if it doesn’t materialise, it doesn’t materialise.”
Fabrizio Romano has now revealed that Oxlade-Chamberlain is set to finalise a move to Celtic on Friday.
Prior to his move to Turkley, Oxlade-Chamberlain had spells with Southampton, Arsenal and Liverpool. He won three FA Cups with the Gunners and a wealth of honours at Liverpool, including the Champions League and Premier League, despite an injury-hit spell at Anfield. The midfielder has also won 35 caps for England, scoring seven times.
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