The former Liverpool and Arsenal star has arrived at Celtic Park on a free transfer

Alex Oxlade Chamberlain(Image: SNS Group)

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has revealed he had his heart set on signing for Celtic BEFORE Martin O’Neill sent out the SOS.

The former Arsenal and Liverpool star confirmed his arrival at Parkhead on Saturday and was unveiled to the crowd before the Hoops’ dramatic Scottish Cup win against Dundee. Oxlade-Chamberlain was in the stands to see deadline day signing Junior Adamu score a backheel with the last kick of the ball to save Celts from tumbling out of the Cup.

Sebastian Touneti pounced in extra-time to keep Martin O’Neil on the trophy trail. And new Bhoy Oxlade-Chamberlain admitted he jumped at the chance to come to Glasgow after a pep talk from Hoops hero Joe Hart and his old Anfield chum Andy Robertson.

The midfielder – who penned a deal until the end of the season with a 12 month option – said: “I was with Joe Hart a couple of weeks ago at James Milner’s birthday and I asked him about Celtic. He just said it was the best two or three years of his life and that he absolutely loved it.

“He actually suggested this could be perfect for me and said ‘you’d love it up there Ox’. This was literally a few weeks ago, before any of this had come up. He raved about it, how much he loved it, how the people treated him, how intense and passionate it is.

“I’m best mates with Andy Robertson as well so it didn’t take much convincing from him. He told me to get in the car and get up here.”

Oxlade-Chamberlain has spent recent months training with old club Arsenal but hasn’t played competitively since leaving Besiktas last May. But the 32-year-old Champions League winner instead he’s raring to go.

Ox said: “I’m really excited – I think the manager must have just caught wind I didn’t have a job. He said he’d love to have me up here so it was quite seamless.

“The manager is maybe a bit more old school so he just said ‘are you ready to come and play?’ I said ‘yeah, absolutely’ and here we are – we’re ready to get cracking.

“I’m ready, I’ve been training for three months with Arsenal. It’ll take a little bit of time as it always does to get up to your full match fitness. But in terms of being ready to go now, I’m good to go.

“I know for this club, winning every trophy is the expectation. Looking at it, the fact there’s a bit of work to do, that actually excites me. I feel that that’s a real challenge for us all and something that I want to get my teeth stuck into.”

Meanwhile Hoops boss O’Neill admitted he was relieved to survive after a stuttering performance. He said: “I’m delighted to be in the hat – it seemed a long way away in the 97th minutes.

“We showed determination to go to the very end. I thought they were brilliant to see it through, despite the mistakes we made in the game.

Martin O’Neill(Image: SNS Group)

“I thought Seb Tounekti’s introduction was probably key. You think the game has gone beyond you, if Dundee kicked the ball clear it was probably over. But we found a way to win it.”

O’Neill was thrilled with Adamu’s instant heroics and said: “Naturally I’m delighted for him. He wants to do well here and wants to be a part of proceedings.

“It was an ice cool finish for him, but not for myself. The relief to get the goal and the momentum in extra time kept us going.

Celtic Park was around half full after a boycott from a section of supporters.

O’Neill said: “We knew the nature of it beforehand.

“The cup games are not on the season tickets and it’s expense and a 5.30pm kickoff

“I was pleased with the crowd, the number that did turn up, and naturally pleased with the result.”

Goal hero Adamu said: “It was an amazing feeling, I’m really happy to help the team into the next round.”I’ve scored many goals but this was one of the most important.”