Mikel Arteta’s former teammate returns to Arsenal… for now
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has returned to Arsenal and is currently training with the club’s Under-21s as he searches for a new club.
The former Gunner left Beikta in the summer and has been without a club ever since with his return to London Colney as part of his bid to escape free agency.
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Having spent six seasons in north London, Oxlade-Chamberlain’s presence on the training ground could be beneficial for Arsenal as they look to continue to develop and finally end their decades-long wait to win the Premier League.
Oxlade-Chamberlain returns to train with Arsenal
Oxlade-Chamberlain signed for Arsenal from Southampton in 2011 and spent six (and counting) seasons with the club before joining Liverpool in a club-record sale in the opening weeks of the 2017/18 season.
He scored 20 goals in 198 appearances for the Gunners and won three FA Cups and Community Shields during his time in the capital.
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Following his summer move from Beikta, he was linked with a shock move to Birmingham City, but a deal with the League One champions never materialized, meaning he was left without a club.
The Ox has now returned to Arsenal to improve his fitness while continuing his search for a new club. He is not the first ex-Gunner to do so with the return of Jack Wilshere in 2021 and the return of Tyreece John-Jules earlier this season while he was without a club.
A former teammate of Gunners boss Mikel Arteta, the midfielder’s presence was welcomed by the Spaniard. During his press conference before his team’s trip to Slavia Prague, he declared: “Top! Top character, one of the best characters I have met in football.
“If we can help him, if we can give him the space to be up to the task and have the ability to find a club, that’s a joy. The boys will learn from it. I’ve had the privilege of playing with him, and if he’s there, he’ll be a really good role model to have in the team.”
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Although his return is highly unlikely to be permanent and most of his time will be spent at the academy, fans will be hoping that Oxlade-Chamberlain’s return can have a positive effect on the club as the first team maintain their Premier League title.
This article was originally published on www.paininthearsenal.com as Mikel Arteta’s former teammate returns to Arsenal… for now.