Southampton's entourage doesn't feel the conviction for signing Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, shutting down a possible return of the Saints' wonderkid any time soon.
Just hours before, Saints learned of Walker-Peters' Besiktas case and for some, the update has just doubled down on Southampton's intriguing relation with Turkish clubs. Particularly, after what happened in an overprolonged Paul Onuachu departure last month.
Well, many a time, the smallest of rifts develop a cold shoulder between two sides, and that is what feels like is happening among Besiktas and Southampton now.
But what's amusingly interesting is the sharp contrast between the situations of the two clubs. Recently, a free agent in Walker-Peters got a Besiktas move denied, and now the Saints are calling off a transfer for an ex-Besiktas contractless star.
He's none other than former Saint, Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Oxlade-Chamberlain's St. Mary's return dream over for a while
That's because, despite having seen a sharp turn in his transfer situations, there seems to be much more drama in his saga. And while recently, it felt all circling back to St. Mary's again, a reunion feels far-fetched now.
Recently, Saints Extra updated on Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's future, denying any Saints callback, saying: "At the moment, a return to Southampton does not seem to be on the cards for now free agent Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain."
Honestly, this update might upset some waiting for a last dance of the midfielder at St. Mary's, yet given the call has been made considering the general perspective, the fans wouldn't mind it.
After all, with the midfielder in his 30s, Oxlade-Chamberlain doesn't fit as an ideal signing into Will Still's revamped young Saints side. And noticing a similar profile in Joe Aribo's recent fate, it might be the best for both Southampton and the academy wonderkid himself to look past a crossroads again.
As for now, nothing is certain about where Oxlade-Chamberlain ends up this summer. But maybe the midfielder plans to follow in the footsteps of other ex-Saints in joining a Championship opposition challenge.
Who knows, after a blistering second division spell, right in front of the Saints, Oxlade-Chamberlain writes an unforeseen St. Mary's return as his ex-teammate Adam Lallana.