It has come to light that former Arsenal player Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s contract had an odd condition. According to a condition that Alan Gernon outlined in “The Transfer Market: The Inside Stories,” Oxlade-Chamberlain’s old club Southampton stood to receive an extra £10,000 payment each time he played more than 20 minutes for Arsenal.
Arsenal’s adventure with Oxlade-Chamberlain began in 2011 when the team paid £12 million for his talents, with a further £3 million set aside for possible add-ons. Arriving from Southampton at the age of 17, he soon established himself as a bright prospect among the Gunners, making 198 games during which he won three FA Cups.
But of Oxlade-Chamberlain’s 80 Arsenal appearances, a large number were as a substitute. It seems that the unusual condition in his contract had an impact on this regular bench duty rather than just being a tactical decision. Gunners supporters were perplexed by the midfielder’s inconsistent playing time until the contract clause was made public. The condition requiring Southampton to pay £10,000 for each time Oxlade-Chamberlain played more than 20 minutes on the pitch made Arsenal’s choices about his playing time make sense.
Ex-Arsenal Star Received £10,000 Fee For Playing Over 20 Minutes
The peculiarities of this provision were further emphasised in a section of Peter Crouch’s podcast when former football player Steve Sidwell voiced doubts about the legality of such a deal. Similar to Sidwell, Crouch thought the clause was “madness.”
When Oxlade-Chamberlain moved to Liverpool for £35 million, his time at Arsenal finally came to an end. That move paid off as he helped his new team win the Premier League, Champions League, and Carabao Cup. The midfielder then started a new chapter in his career when he signed a three-year contract with Turkish powerhouse Besiktas after his previous contract expired.
Oxlade-Chamberlain played thirty games in his first season at Besiktas, helping the club win the Turkish Cup. With 56 points from 38 games, Besiktas also finished in a respectable sixth position in the league.
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Reporter Iomie Stanley has information that Arsenal may pursue Anthony Martial, who left Manchester United lately. Thirty-time French international Martial first signed for Manchester United from Monaco in 2015 for a fee of £36 million, which may eventually increase to £57.6 million. Though he showed potential at times, he fell short of expectations at Old Trafford and over the last several seasons, his position within the team has eroded.
It is now official that Martial will be leaving once his contract expires at the end of the 2023–24 season and there is no chance of an extension. Arsenal has long admired the French attacker, and as Stanley said, Mikel Arteta is anxious to add depth to the team, so they may make Martial an offer. After nine seasons, he said, “Martial is bidding farewell to Manchester United—his tenure at Old Trafford is coming to a close, potentially marking a beneficial career move for him.”
At Arsenal, despite recent setbacks, Martial may find a supportive atmosphere without the pressure of high expectations and under a new management. Eddie Nketiah and Gabriel Jesus, who were both previously connected to Arsenal departures, may make room for Martial. The Gunners might be drawn to Arsenal by the possibility of reviving his career there, particularly since he is just 28 years old and has many seasons left.
