After a tough start to July for Leeds United, matters in the transfer market seem much brighter, with some big money deals potentially set to be confirmed very soon.
At the start of July, Leeds United were being knocked about in the transfer market, losing out on several transfer targets with many heading to Sunderland.
It was a tough pill to swallow for fans. But this week has been much brighter with reports that Leeds United have agreed a fee for Sean Longstaff, and then subsequent reports that Anton Stach has agreed personal terms with Leeds as well.
That’s two midfielders potentially arriving at Elland Road in the coming days for a combined total of more than £30million (£15million for Longstaff and £17million for Stach, if the latter’s rumoured fee proved to be true).
Now there’s more positive news for Daniel Farke who could be about to add a hugely experienced Premier League winger to his ranks, and one who’s played on the biggest international stages with England as well.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain becomes free agent after Leeds United offer
Earlier in the year, former Liverpool and Arsenal winger Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was linked with a move to West Yorkshire. The 31-year-old, 35-cap former England man joined Besiktas back in 2023 but looked keen to secure a return to England in this summer’s transfer window.
Last month, reports revealed that Leeds United had made an offer to sign Oxlade-Chamberlain. It was unclear whether that was a loan offer, or a permanent one, or even an offer to take him off Besiktas hands for nothing with Besiktas seemingly as keen to rid themselves of Oxlade-Chamberlain as he was to leave the Turkish club.
Now though, journalist Alex Crook has revealed on X that Oxlade-Chamberlain is ‘attracting interest from clubs in England’ after mutually agreeing to terminate his contract with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Besiktas side.
What were Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s wages at Besiktas?
Nobody can deny the fact that Oxlade-Chamberlain is a hugely experienced player, with Premier League and European titles to his name, FA Cups and appearances in the Euros and the World Cup with England.
There was also a time not so long ago where Oxlade-Chamberlain was a very decent player at Premier League level, and at 31 years old, he could still have a lot to offer a team like Leeds United whose main goal next season will be to beat the drop.
| Club | Games | Goals | Assists |
| Southampton | 43 | 10 | 9 |
| Arsenal | 198 | 20 | 28 |
| Liverpool | 146 | 18 | 14 |
| Besiktas | 50 | 5 | 1 |
But wages may be the one thing that fans are concerned about with a potential move for Oxlade-Chamberlain. Per Salary Sport, Oxlade-Chamberlain was Besiktas’ biggest-earner at £65,000-a-week.
He surely can’t expect to return to the six-figures he was no doubt earning at Arsenal and Liverpool, and Leeds surely wouldn’t pay that anyway.
Already this summer, reports have revealed that the Leeds United players have received pay rises following promotion with certain names now understood to be earning in the region of £70,000-a-week.
Whether Oxlade-Chamberlain would fit into the current wage structure remains to be seen. But he could no doubt prove a very useful signing for Farke.
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