Celtic’s signing of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is one of those rare Scottish football signings.
Unlike most deals done by the Hoops, this one will be getting plenty of coverage outside of Scotland, with Oxlade-Chamberlain making his return to British football after leaving Liverpool in 2023.
Martin O’Neill didn’t hide how keen he was to get the deal over the line, with the midfielder having spent recent months training at Arsenal.
However, he has now said his goodbyes to the Gunners squad, as he looks to aid Celtic’s push in the Scottish Premiership title-race.
Kris Boyd will be hoping that he doesn’t, and reacting to the news, he couldn’t hide his desperation.
Could Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain have an impact like Scott Sinclair did at Celtic?
Kris Boyd reacts to Celtic signing Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
Despite coming in on a short-term contract, Oxlade-Chamberlain is O’Neill’s first permanent signing, with the four previous January additions coming on loan.
None of those additions were aged over 25, so the Englishman’s arrival will add much-needed experience.
READ MORE: Celtic blindsided European club to sign Joel Mvuka after raiding them in summer
In his column for the Scottish Sun, Boyd’s attempts to spin the signing negatively reek of pure desperation…
Even more laughable is his comparison of the move to Rangers signing Aaron Ramsey, when Boyd himself was loudly cheerleading for the Welshman at the time.
He said: “If it happens, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain may yet turn out to be a great addition to their squad.
“We’re talking about a Champions League and Premier League winner, after all. Someone who has 35 England caps, and at 32 should still have a lot to offer.
“But how on earth has it come to this?
“How can Celtic, with all their millions piled up in the bank, be scrambling around after the transfer window has closed to sign a free agent who hasn’t kicked a ball in anger for nine months?
“If Oxlade-Chamberlain was a player they really wanted, why didn’t they do it weeks ago?
“For me, it’s just such a haphazard move. It reeks of a desperate bid by the Hoops board to appease fans with a big name after an underwhelming window.
“I repeat, Oxlade-Chamberlain has been a top-class player throughout his career and could show he’s still got it in a Celtic jersey between now and the end of the season.
“It reminds me a bit of Aaron Ramsey coming into Rangers in the January of 2022. A guy who’d only started one game for Juventus that season who came to Scotland to get playing again.”
Do you back the announcement to boycott the Scottish Cup tie vs Dundee?
Let us know in the comments.
Celtic’s recent use of free transfers
They may not always be the sexiest kind of transfers, but Celtic’s use of the free agent market in recent years has led to some seriously impactful additions.
Just last summer, Kieran Tierney returned to Glasgow on a pre-contract, with Kelechi Iheanacho following him a few months later.
The summer prior, Kasper Schmeichel was signed on a free transfer after the expiration of his spell at Anderlecht.
Aaron Mooy must also be mentioned. Signed by Ange Postecoglou in 2022, he only spent one year in Glasgow after his signing, but what a year it was.
Receive a digest of our best Celtic content each week direct to your mailbox
