Arsenal reportedly had to pay Southampton an extra £10,000 whenever Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain featured for at least 20 minutes during his six-year spell at the Emirates Stadium, following an unusual clause included in his transfer agreement.

According to a report by Football London on Sunday, November 1, 2026, the condition was part of the deal that brought the England international from Southampton to Arsenal in 2011 for a fee of £15 million.

The transfer consisted of an initial £12 million payment, with a further £3 million tied to performance-related bonuses. One of the conditions required Arsenal to make an additional payment of £10,000 whenever Oxlade-Chamberlain reached the 20-minute playing threshold in a match.

Details of the agreement were reportedly revealed in Alan Gernon’s 2018 book, The Transfer Market: The Inside Stories. The revelation offered a possible explanation for the midfielder’s frequent appearances as a substitute, particularly during his early years in north London.

Arsenal supporters had often questioned why the midfielder was regularly introduced late in matches, sometimes around the 71st minute. Out of his 198 appearances for the club, he started 115 games.

The report suggests that manager Arsene Wenger had to carefully manage his playing time because of the financial implications attached to the agreement.

Despite those efforts, Arsenal reportedly paid Southampton approximately £1.4 million in appearance-related bonuses throughout the midfielder’s six seasons at the club. That figure accounted for almost half of the £3 million available through the transfer’s additional payment structure.

The unusual clause also became a talking point during a 2024 episode of the That Peter Crouch Podcast. Former Liverpool striker Peter Crouch and ex-Chelsea midfielder Steve Sidwell discussed the arrangement, with Crouch explaining how Arsenal incurred an additional cost whenever Oxlade-Chamberlain played for at least 20 minutes.

Oxlade-Chamberlain eventually departed Arsenal in 2017, joining Liverpool in a £40 million deal that made him the Gunners’ most expensive departure at the time.

During his six years at Anfield, he won the Premier League, Champions League and EFL Cup before moving to Besiktas in 2023. He subsequently joined Celtic earlier in 2026.

At international level, the midfielder earned 35 caps for England between 2012 and 2019. He also collected three FA Cup winners’ medals during his time with Arsenal.

The reported agreement provides an interesting insight into the financial complexities of football transfers and how seemingly minor contractual conditions can influence a player’s involvement on the pitch.