Talk of Mohamed Salah joining Turkish outfit Besiktas following his Liverpool exit has ramped up in the last couple of days.
The Egyptian put his future on hold while competing at the World Cup, but after his country’s exit at the hands of Argentina, Salah has been in talks with Besiktas.
A deal is not agreed at this stage, but if he does end up moving to the club, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has already outlined the major difference between playing for teams like Liverpool and Arsenal compared to Besiktas.
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Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain explains ‘big shock’ after moving to Besiktas
Oxlade-Chamberlain spent six years each at Arsenal and Liverpool before becoming a free agent in 2023.
He then joined Salah’s potential next club, Besiktas, where he played 50 games, scored five goals and provided one assist.
The versatile midfielder left in August 2025 and, a couple of months later, shared the difference between playing for a Turkish team and a Premier League side.
He said: “There were good things about it [playing for Besiktas], and things I struggled with because of what I’m used to. I was at Arsenal and Liverpool for so many years, and I’ve got a much bigger appreciation for England and the Premier League, how things are run and how business is done, just how the setup is very professional.
“It’s different there, the ownership of clubs, the change-over in managers that you can have, it’s a lot more volatile. That was a big shock for me, whereas some lads who I was playing with out there weren’t as fussed, and were more used to these things. That’s all they knew – they never played in England.”
He continued: “Some of the stuff that goes on out there is different to here. The fans have a lot more say, they’ll turn up to the training ground and let you know regularly if they’re not happy.
“I didn’t mind any of that stuff, it’s just different to get used to. The manager change-overs, I think I had eight managers in two seasons. There were four presidents as well, that and eight managers is difficult.”
Where does Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain play now?
After his spell with Besiktas, Oxlade-Chamberlain spent several months as a free agent.
He eventually ended up joining Scottish club Celtic on a free transfer in February 2026.
In the remainder of 2025/26, the Englishman featured on 12 occasions and scored twice for The Hoops.
Celtic then extended his contract in July, and he is now set to spend another 12 months in Scotland.
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