Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's first Arsenal contract contained an unusual clause that required the Gunners to pay Southampton £10,000 every time the midfielder played more than 20 minutes of football.
The clause, revealed in Alan Gernon's 2018 book The Transfer Market: The Inside Stories, meant Arsenal paid around £1.4m in appearance fees during Oxlade-Chamberlain's six-year stint at the Emirates Stadium.
The £15m transfer and its add-ons
Oxlade-Chamberlain joined Arsenal in 2011 for a £15m fee, with £12m paid up front and an additional £3m linked to performance-based add-ons. One add-on was specifically tied to how much game time he received in north London.
Arsene Wenger often used the player as a substitute, frequently bringing him on at or after the 71st minute. In total, only 115 of his 198 appearances for Arsenal came as a starter.
Reaction to the revelation
The topic resurfaced during a 2024 episode of the That Peter Crouch Podcast, where former Liverpool forward Peter Crouch and retired Chelsea midfielder Steve Sidwell reacted to the news.
Crouch said: "Every time Oxlade-Chamberlain played 20 minutes or more for Arsenal they would have to pay Southampton an extra £10,000." A stunned Sidwell asked: "Is this real? Hold on, every 20 minutes?" to which Crouch responded: "That is madness."
Career after Arsenal
Oxlade-Chamberlain joined Liverpool in 2017 for £40m, becoming Arsenal's most expensive sale at the time. He spent six seasons at Anfield, winning the Premier League, Champions League and EFL Cup.
He earned 35 international caps for England from 2012 to 2019 and claimed three FA Cup winners' medals in four years before leaving Arsenal. Now aged 33 and playing for Celtic, he is set to watch his two former sides meet on Sunday when Liverpool face the reigning champions at Anfield.
