Arsenal Invite Second Free Agent To Training Before Champions League Game

Arsenal have invited another former player to training as he looks to find himself a new club.

Last month, former academy striker Tyreece John-Jules joined up with the squad after being released by League Two side Crawley Town in the summer.

The 24-year-old, a close friend of Arsenal winger Noni Madueke, was invited to the Sobha Realty Training Centre after spending time in the PFA's pre-season training camp for free agents in the summer.

Days later, he sealed a move to Scottish Premiership club Kilmarnock.

Now, an even more familiar face to Arsenal - and indeed Premier League - fans has made a surprise return to north London.

Ex-Arsenal and Liverpool midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is training with the Gunners as he continues attempts to find himself a new club.

Oxlade-Chamberlain was released by Turkish Super Lig club Besiktas in the summer.

The 32-year-old hasn't played a competitive match since May.

According to Sky Sports reporter James Savundra, Oxlade-Chamberlain wants to make a return to English football and will train 'predominantly' with Arsenal's U21 squad to maintain his fitness.

The Gunners youth academy product left Arsenal in 2017 after making 198 appearances in all competitions to join Liverpool, where he quickly made an impact in what was Jurgen Klopp's second full season in charge.

But in April 2018, he suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury during the first leg of the Reds' Champions League semi-final clash against Roma.

The midfielder spent exactly one year and one day out before making his return, but the remainder of his time at Anfield was largely blighted by a series of various injuries.

He made just 13 appearances during his final season before being released in the summer of 2023.

Now, after a mixed two-year spell in Turkey, Oxlade-Chamberlain is putting himself in the shop window to find a club ahead of the January transfer window.

While that club almost certainly won't be Arsenal, you would expect, Football Insider's Pete O'Rourke has claimed that Leeds and big-spending Championship side Birmingham have shown interest in signing him.

Clubs can sign free agents outside of the transfer window, but they can only play if the club has a spare registration space in their squad that was submitted in September.