Martin O'Neill issues Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to Celtic update as medical set and fitness addressed

Barring any hitches, former England midfielder Oxlade-Chamberlain, 32, will join the Scottish champions until the of the season, with the option to extend for next term.

He has been without a club since mutually agreeing to terminate his contract with Besiktas in August but has been training with former club Arsenal in recent months to build his fitness.

“I spoke to him this morning, I think he wants to come. I think he’s coming,” O’Neill said in his Friday pre-match press conference ahead of the Scottish Cup tie against Dundee.

“I would’ve assusmed he’s got a number of options. There was even talk about Arsenal where he’s training taking him on because they might pick up a couple of injuries.

“So I’m delighted that he’s going to come - so he says. I think he’s doing a medical tomorrow and all being well, I hope he signs on.”

O’Neill revealed earlier in the week that he had held positive conversations with Oxlade-Chamberlain, who also received a glowing reference on Celtic from his close friend Joe Hart.

“I think the football club itself has probably convinced him more than anything else, if indeed it has convinced him,” the 73-year-old added. “We might be having this conversation in 36 hours. He might get up, see what the weather is like and disappear back down again. Quite easily. A few have done that in the past...”

The signing of Oxlade-Chamberlain will come too late for the player to be involved in the Europa League knockout stages with the Uefa squad deadline passed.

However, O’Neill hopes the ex-Liverpool and Arsenal star can provide a boost for the club’s hopes of retaining the Scottish Premiership title and lifting the Scottish Cup.

“That’s really the main point about it all,” he added. “In terms of European football, because we were able to do these things, I wanted to do these changes to people who were actually at the football club, rather than waiting around. There might be a bit of disappointment there, from Alex’s viewpoint, to do it on the European stage.

“But we had to press on. But if we do get up to speed, I believe he’s got the desire. He wants to do well, he’s 32, which in this day and age is no age whatsoever for a player, or players who look after themselves.”