Sheffield United battling with Southampton for 35-cap ex-England international | OneFootball

Sheffield United are showing interest in signing Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain from Besiktas.

Former Liverpool and Arsenal midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is a summer transfer target for Sheffield United.

This is according to Turkish outlet Takvim, who have claimed that the current Besiktas player is on the radar of Chris Wilder and his recruitment team.

Oxlade-Chamberlain's time in Turkey has been an unsuccessful one so far, with the midfielder struggling to make an impact in a similar vein to his years on Merseyside with Liverpool, and a thigh injury which kept him out for months in his debut season in Istanbul did not help.

At 30 years of age, if he can stay injury-free, Oxlade-Chamberlain could be a significant asset to add to Sheffield United's already strong Championship midfield options, which include Gustavo Hamer and Ollie Arblaster.

But, they will likely face competition and with takeover issues ongoing, other clubs may have a headstart on securing his signature.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to Sheffield United transfer latest

Having left Liverpool in 2023, Oxlade-Chamberlain's year in Turkey has seen him accrue a minimal 1,424 minutes of football across all competitions.

This failure has led Besiktas to search for a way of terminating the midfielder's contract, with his salary seen as an issue for the Black Eagles.

With his exit from the Istanbul outfit now looking like a strong possibility, the Blades are believed to be interested in offering the former Arsenal man a contract at Bramall Lane.

Their approaches will not come without contest, though, and his former club Southampton are another party that would like to secure his services this summer.

Elsewhere, previous reports have suggested that Fulham would be keen on entering the race also.

Having come through Saints' academy, the chance to rejoin his former youth side would surely prove the most tempting offer, so if Wilder wants to sign the experienced midfielder, they must go all out with an appealing financial package.

As detailed earlier, this won't be a simple task for Sheffield United, with financial issues embroiled in their impending takeover. With all this in mind, this deal will prove difficult, but if secured it would be a real statement of intent from the Blades.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain could aid Ollie Arblaster's Sheffield United development

Sheffield United's recent success in the Championship has been built on experienced individuals providing stellar performances throughout the season.

Despite this, Wilder is entering this season with a relatively young squad and this is no more obvious than in central midfield.

Heading into the 2024-25 campaign, it seems likely that we will see young Arblaster feature heavily and an experienced addition like Oxlade-Chamberlain could prove useful to aid his development.

The spotlight may feature heavily on the 20-year-old after some stellar performances in the Premier League last term, but this can all be reduced by signing the Besiktas midfielder, who will place a great deal of pressure on himself to perform in tier two.

With the burden not being placed on the youngster, he will be able to come in and out of the team and thrive when he is provided with a chance.

Oxlade-Chamberlain will undeniably be an expensive signing, with his injury record being one of the main concerns around his signature.

However, if he can avoid any issues, he would prove some signing and this feels like one that Wilder and his team should chase if they have aspirations of reaching the Premier League next season.