"He's not fit enough" - Pundit urges Leeds United to avoid deal for ex-Arsenal and Liverpool man | OneFootball

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has struggled since moving to Besiktas and is looking for a move back to the UK.

Carlton Palmer has told Leeds United that they must not make a move for Besiktas midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain before the end of the transfer window.

The Whites are showing an interest in the former Arsenal and Liverpool star, according to The Sun, after struggling for game time in Türkiye since making the switch to Europe at the start of last season.

Daniel Farke's side have had a quiet January, and full focus has been on the battle for promotion in the Championship, with the Yorkshire outfit currently leading the way ahead of Sheffield United. The top four are still tightly packed together and only five points separate Leeds and Sunderland ahead of this weekend's fixtures.

Although new faces will be welcome at Elland Road ahead of the run-in, there will be some reservations about making a move for the 31-year-old after difficulties with fitness over the last few years.

Palmer makes Oxlade-Chamberlain verdict

As per the report, Premier League sides Leicester City and Wolverhampton Wanderers both have Oxlade-Chamberlain on their radars, and the Whites will have a fight to acquire his services ahead of Monday's deadline if they do follow through with their interest.

The 35-time capped England international has made just six league appearances for Besiktas this season, although new manager Ole Gunnar Solksjaer is keen to give him more opportunities.

Nevertheless, former Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Palmer believes that Leeds must not get involved in any transfer saga surrounding Oxlade-Chamberlain in this window.

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, he said: "Leeds have been linked with a shock move for Besiktas star Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. I don't think it's a good move for Leeds at all. I'm a big fan of Oxlade-Chamberlain. I think he's been a terrific player over the years. His major problems have been his injuries, and that's unfortunate. That's stopped him being able to play regular football.

"He's a fantastic footballer, I really like the way he plays, but he has only made six appearances again this season. So, he's highly unlikely to hit the ground running for Daniel Farke’s team.

"Farke has already come out and said that it's a difficult window, January. But if nobody's going to come in and significantly improve them, then why bring them in for the sake of it?

"I'm not saying that he wouldn't improve the quality of the group, he's far better than the Championship, that's for sure. But the problem, for me, is he doesn't play enough football, and he's not going to come cheap."

Palmer continued: "I know he’s edging for a move back to the UK. There are a lot of clubs who have been looking at Oxlade-Chamberlain and keeping an eye on the situation. Last season he made 20 appearances for Besiktas. At Liverpool, for four seasons, he failed to even reach 20 games.

"You have to go back to his time at Arsenal where he was playing more regularly. In 2017/18, he played the most league games in a season in his whole career, when he played 32 games for Liverpool.

"I think he's a fantastic player, but he's not fit enough. He's not going to hit the ground running. He picks up an injury and that's the end of that. So, it’s not good business."

Oxlade-Chamberlain is too high of a risk for Leeds at this time

Although his experience and quality can not be denied, the risk of bringing in a player with a history of injury and fitness problems is too high for Leeds while they are challenging for automatic promotion.

They need players who they can rely on for the rest of the season, and unfortunately, the 31-year-old might not be able to provide this.

The Whites' midfield does have talent in it, but it is clear that Farke wants to bring in more bodies to help his team keep ahead of the pack for the next three-and-a-half months. However, these players must be fit and ready to make an impact from the off and Oxlade-Chamberlain may struggle.