The January transfer window may be closing, but celtics It is still possible to replenish the team’s lineup in the second half of the season.

Last summer, Brendan Rodgers signed former Premier League star Kelechi Iheanacho on a free transfer, with the Nigerian striker scoring three goals in the Premier League. scottish premier league and the Europa League combined.

Martin O’Neill The move could be repeated with the sudden signing of free agent midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who has not joined a club since leaving Turkish giants Besiktas last summer.

Celtic manager Already admitted He hopes to explore a deal with the former England international, who has played for Arsenal and Liverpool, to strengthen his midfield.

Why the Celtics shouldn’t sign Chamberlain

With Chamberlain’s injury history and absence from games this season, the Hoops should pass up the chance to bring Chamberlain to Parkhead in the coming days.

His last taste of competitive football came in the Turkish Super League last May, meaning he was not far away from a full year without playing for a club.

Chamberlain is also no stranger to injuries, notably missing as many as 20 games in the 2020/21 season and 18 games in the 2023/24 season. This means signing him after nine months without playing a game would be a big risk as he might not be ready to jump right in and play every week.

As seen above, the 32-year-old star has enjoyed spells at Arsenal and Liverpool in the past, but it’s been nearly six years since he last played more than 17 league games in a season for Liverpool.

It could be a great deal if Celtic can get him back fit and in top form, but there is another former Premier League talent who could be a better addition via a free transfer.

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Celtics should sign dream Chamberlain replacement

There are a number of free agents who could be up for grabs to join the team in the coming days, and one expert recommended one of them last month.

Pat Nevin claims basketball team May “consider” taking action Signing “high-profile” free agent star Jesse Lingard, who has not played for a club since leaving K-League side FC Seoul in early January.

Unlike Oxlade-Chamberlain, the former Manchester United star has been playing regular football this season until the end of his contract at the end of the year, when he could start at Parkhead.

In the 2025 season, Lingard played 40 games for Seoul without missing a game due to injury, including 34 appearances in K-League 1 and 6 appearances in the AFC Champions League.

The 33-year-old also scored a goal in December’s AFC Champions League elite match, helping the South Korean team draw 1-1 with Melbourne City.

Lingard deserved more assists than he ended up with after a stellar season in South Korea’s top flight in 2025, scoring 24 goals in 34 games and creating “great chances”.

This shows that he has been successful at a decent level as a consistent performer recently, as the Celtics have previously recruited Yang Hyun-joon and Oh Hyun-kyu from this league, and Oxlade-Chamberlain has not yet had such a player.

Oxlade-Chamberlain has not played a game this season and has scored 1 goal, created 0 “great chances” and provided 0 assists in 18 Super League games for Besiktas in the 2024/25 season.

These statistics suggest that Lingard is more likely to make an immediate impact on the pitch upon joining Celtic by scoring goals and creating chances for his teammates as a midfielder or attacking midfielder.

On top of that, the former Manchester United starlet has also had a better availability record of late, with no injuries since the 2023/24 season, which is why O’Neill should seek a £0 move for him rather than Oxlade-Chamberlain.

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