Arsenal paid Southampton £10k for every 20-minute appearance by ex-Gunner

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Kickjolly · AI-written · automatically reviewed · Daily Cannon ↗

According to the Daily Cannon, Alan Gernon's book 'The Transfer Market: The Inside Stories' revealed that Arsenal was contractually obligated to pay Southampton £10,000 for every appearance by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain lasting 20 minutes or more. The book claimed this condition influenced Arsenal's decision to use Oxlade-Chamberlain as a substitute. Oxlade-Chamberlain made over half of his appearances as a starter, contradicting the claim that he was predominantly used as a substitute.

Oxlade-Chamberlain made around 60 appearances of 20 minutes or less, and approximately 138 appearances of 21 minutes or more, triggering £1.38m in payments to Southampton. The total potential payment was capped at £3m, but Oxlade-Chamberlain left Arsenal for Liverpool before reaching this cap. The exact figure is uncertain due to ambiguity around injury time and a few appearances starting close to the 70th minute.

The Daily Cannon questions whether Arsenal's strategy of limiting Oxlade-Chamberlain's playing time was financially justified, given the club's financial circumstances at the time. However, the potential financial benefits from his contributions on the field likely outweighed the £1.38m paid to Southampton, as gaining a single position in the league table could net over £1m.