What is going on with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Birmingham City? | OneFootball

The former Liverpool and Arsenal star has been linked with a return to England via the Blues

Former Liverpool and Arsenal attacker Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has been linked with a move back to England, with Birmingham City key among those interested.

The news first dropped earlier this month in a report from the Mirror, with journalist Matt Maltby confirming the Championship side’s interest.

He termed the interest “ambitious”, given the 32-year-old left England a Premier League-standard player.

The midfielder moved to Turkish side Besiktas, but is now eyeing a return to home soil.

Birmingham City yet to advance on initial Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain interest

Based on the latest public reports, Birmingham are yet to advance beyond their initial interest in the midfielder, but they will need to move quickly if it’s a deal they want to make. On August 19th, it was reported by Give Me Sport that Birmingham did hold an interest in the English midfielder, yet he wasn't a priority target and others on Blues list were to be pursued beforehand.

Oxlade-Chamberlain, based on the same Mirror report, has suitors in the Premier League, and was offered to Burnley and division rivals Leicester City earlier this year, according to reports in the Turkish press.

There had been false reports that the former England international had already left the Turkish club, but the midfielder later posted pictures of himself in training to prove he hadn’t already gone.

Nevertheless, it appears to be a situation still up in the air, and another side could profit if Birmingham don’t get it over the line.

Blues urged to seal Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain deal by pundits

Speaking exclusively to Football League World shortly after news of the interest broke, former Aston Villa star Lee Hendrie said: "Birmingham just seem to be doing piece of business after piece of business, and you can understand why they're attracting players of Oxlade-Chamberlain’s calibre.

"With the style they play and the formation that they're using, you do think that would suit someone like Chamberlain. He can play in wide areas, he can come and play inside.

"I think this would be such a big signing for them, I really do."

That was a sentiment backed up by talkSPORT’s Ally McCoist, who told the radio station: "I’m swiping right all day. I would love to see him back in England. He’s another player I just want to see fit and get a good run at it."

Wages will be the key sticking point to any Birmingham move

Based on estimates from Capology, Oxlade-Chamberlain brings in £69,140 per week, almost triple what the same website estimates the Blues’ top earner, Bailey Peacock-Farrell, brings in at £25k a week.

Even meeting somewhere in the middle would be a huge departure from Birmingham’s current wage structure, which could cause plenty of problems further down the line and put a big strain on budgets at St. Andrew’s.

Oxlade-Chamberlain still has a year left to run on his current Besiktas deal, but given his hefty wages, after seemingly being deemed surplus to requirements by the Turkish club, with them willing to let him go on a free.

That should leave Birmingham with little more than wages to contend with, but that is easier said than done.