Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has taken on a variety of positions throughout his career, but Martin O’Neill already has a clear plan for how he wants to deploy him at Celtic…
The former England international has been used both out wide and through the middle at previous clubs such as Arsenal, Liverpool and Besiktas.
In the central areas, he has alternated between an attacking role and a more defensive midfield position, the latter being a preference of former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer during his time in Turkey.
Having secured the 32-year-old on a free transfer, O’Neill has indicated that he sees Oxlade-Chamberlain primarily as a central midfield option in the heart of Celtic’s team.
Speaking via Celtic’s official YouTube channel, O’Neill said: “In Turkey he played under a number of managers and they shifted him here, there and everywhere. Under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, he almost did a No.6 role and he did it pretty well.”
“Ideally, I would like to see him play infield – not wide – and perform in the way he can. Alex can still take players on, although you have to get used to it again when you haven’t done it for a while. But he has made a good impression in the first few days. His control is very good and it’s a case of getting up to proper fitness.”
“Alex always had a goal in him and if that’s been part of your make-up, you will want to get back to that. I think he can add something to our midfield.”
Elsewhere, Liam Scales has offered insight into how Oxlade-Chamberlain has already settled in alongside his new teammates behind the scenes at the club.
Scales said: “He’s experienced and he’s been in world-class dressing rooms and he knows how to handle himself.”
“He’s kind of slotted in really well and then to see him on the pitch there, he’s got incredible technical ability and you can see why he’s played at the level he’s played.”
“He’s a really, really good player and a really intelligent player. You can tell just even from today. I’m looking forward to seeing him play as well. He looks really, really sharp.”
“When you see someone come in who’s played at a really high level for years, you can tell the little differences. They have that elite level and I feel like he has that.”
Conor Spence
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He will be great if his fitness is good meaning no injuries cause he looks fitter than most spl players he will get the one two going great touch thats been missing when teams play park the bus your first touch is so important yes great addition and brings something different that will excite Celtic fans and frighten oppisition just hope our refs give him protection to him cause spl need footballers we have far to many so called hard men no other top league in europe put up with tackles from the side never mind from behind rugby dosent allow it