Mikel Arteta is a ‘big admirer’ of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and wants him to return to Arsenal as the midfielder ‘agrees a contract’ with Celtic.

Oxlade-Chamberlain has been training with the Arsenal U21s in a bid to improve his fitness and get a move to a new club after being let go by Besiktas in the summer.

And the 32-year-old has now reportedly secured a move to Celtic, who managed to persuade him to join on a six-month deal after talks ‘stalled’ earlier on Thursday as Oxlade-Chamberlain sought a longer deal.

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Fabzizio Romano wrote on X: ‘Celtic are closing in on Axel Oxlade Chamberlain on free transfer, all set to be completed on Friday. Six months contract agreed with former Liverpool player.’

There was speculation last week that Arsenal may offer Oxlade-Chamberlain a short-term deal on the back of Mikel Merino’s long-injury – “We explore every option,” Arteta said in a press conference – but while the Spanish boss is indeed keen for Ox’s return, it looks set to be in a different capacity.

Oxlade-Chamberlain has been completing his UEFA B coaching license while training at Arsenal and the Daily Mailreportthat Arteta is ‘interested in him joining the club’s staff once he retires from playing’.

The report adds:

‘It’s understood that Arteta is a big admirer of Oxlade-Chamberlain and has an eye on hiring him for the coaching staff once he retires. The pair have a close bond and played alongside each other at Arsenal between 2014 and 2016. Oxlade-Chamberlain made 198 appearances in a six-year spell at the Emirates.

‘Arteta’s interest is understood to be motivated by wanting to have ex-players within the Arsenal set-up, which has dwindled in recent years.’

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When asked about this drive to keep ex-players within the club, Arteta said: “I love it. At the end, that history of the club, people who have lived those experiences bring something different.

“It’s like an academy player that has been here since he was eight. He has something else in them, a special feeling.

“And that’s the power of it. I would be more than happy to have more. I have some very personal relations with some ex-players that have been part of different teams in the history of the club that are so helpful because they have lived things in a different way.

“Sometimes they have different perspectives as well from the outside of the things that we do. And that’s a big value to us.”