“Best in Scotland” looks finished at Celtic after Oxlade-Chamberlain deal

It wouldn’t be a transfer window without a little chaos and desperation at Celtic, with Martin O’Neill’s side wrapping up three last-gasp deals on deadline day, with a further move set to follow amid Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s imminent arrival.

The scattergun nature of the club’s recent business has notably been reflected in the announced changes to O’Neill’s Europa League squad, with new men Tomas Cvancara, Junior Adamu and Julian Araujo all now in line to feature in the playoff round.

With just three alterations allowed, however, there is no place for Benjamin Arthur or Joel Mvuka, while the exclusion of £5m man Michel Ange Balikwisha serves as another damning example of Celtic’s wayward recruitment over the summer.

Frustratingly too, even having had ample time to get Oxlade-Chamberlain in the door, considering his free agent status, the Englishman’s addition has come too late, ensuring the 32-year-old will not play a part at all, even if the Hoops progress to the last-16.

Having not featured at all since May, after leaving Bestikas over the summer, the midfielder’s fitness levels may be a cause for concern – his quality, however, shouldn’t be questioned.

What Celtic can expect from Oxlade-Chamberlain

It was almost 13 years ago that a teenage Oxlade-Chamberlain announced himself to the wider game, notably netting in England’s 2-2 draw against Brazil at the Maracana in June 2013.

That looked like being the start of a fruitful Three Lions career, although ‘The Ox’ remains on just 35 caps in total, with the one-time Arsenal wonderkid frustratingly plagued by injury during his time in England.

He’s perhaps not hit the heights that were expected, although there is plenty to be encouraged by when looking back to his previous heroics, not least following his £35m move to Liverpool in 2017.

The rampaging right-sider memorably rifled in a stunning strike in the Champions League against Manchester City in that debut season, with his impact cruelly cut short following an ACL tear ahead of that summer’s World Cup.

He’s never been prolific, with just 18 and 20 goals, respectively, at the Emirates and Anfield, although he does boast a knack for the spectacular, netting a remarkable solo goal during his first year in Turkey, back in 2023/24.

Comfortable operating all across the midfield or out wide, the ageing star appears at his best as a right-sided central midfielder, boasting a real engine to get around the pitch.

An experienced head who swept numerous major honours on Merseyside, he does appear a risk worth taking as far as Celtic are concerned, with Oxlade-Chamberlain’s late entrance potentially set to have repercussions for those already at Parkhead.

Why Oxlade-Chamberlain arrival could spell bad news for Celtic star

The decision to move for the one-time Southampton sensation is an intriguing one, not least with the Glasgow side having retained Arne Engels, amid rampant deadline day interest from Nottingham Forest.

Indeed, it isn’t as if the Hoops are exactly devoid of midfield depth right now, not least with Benjamin Nygren taking up something of a playmaking role, with Engels, Paulo Bernardo and Reo Hatate all battling for the starting berth alongside ever-present skipper, Callum McGregor.

Engels, for now, has that jersey, with Oxlade-Chamberlain’s arrival potentially set to impact the pecking order even further, leaving Hatate in a precarious position despite his prior brilliance in a Celtic shirt.

At one stage the the Japanese genius looked like the “best player in Scotland”, in the view of Chris Sutton, and at times he still does, with journalist Robert Grieve suggesting similar last month, labelling the 28-year-old as the “best player in the country” on his day.

As Grieve also alluded too, however, that ‘day’ hasn’t come often enough this season, having “not been on his game for a long time”, while the midfielder’s “body language” has looked “all wrong”.

Four years on from his stunning start at Parkhead, amid his spectacular brace in the 3-0 thrashing of Rangers, Hatate is now on just one goal and two assists in the Premiership all season, with his work off the ball having particularly dipped.

The once infectious and relentless talent has averaged just one tackle and interception per game, alongside just two ball recoveries, while making two errors leading to a shot.

For comparison, his first full season in Glasgow, 2022/23, yielded 14 goals and assists, having averaged 1.5 tackles and interceptions per game, making zero errors.

There is perhaps a sense that after so much squad upheaval of late, the £1.1m man should have been moved on before now, with there still a significant profit to be made, amid reported interest from Brazil.

The diminutive midfielder has been a fine servant to Celtic and can still dazzle when it suits, although following a dismal campaign to date, the signing of Oxlade-Chamberlain could be the final straw as far as Hatate’s Parkhead career is concerned.