Arsenal were required to pay Southampton an additional £10,000 every time Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain played at least 20 minutes during his six-year spell at the Emirates Stadium because of a clause in his contract.

According to a report by Football London on Sunday, 1 November 2026, the unusual agreement formed part of the midfielder’s £15million transfer from Southampton in 2011, when he joined Arsenal as one of England’s most promising young talents.

The deal involved an initial £12million payment, with another £3million included in performance-related add-ons. However, one condition meant Arsenal had to pay Southampton whenever Oxlade-Chamberlain reached the 20-minute appearance threshold.

The revelation, detailed in Alan Gernon's 2018 book, The Transfer Market: The Inside Stories, offered an explanation for why the midfielder was frequently introduced late in matches during his early years at the club.

Arsenal supporters had often questioned his limited playing time, particularly as he was regularly brought on around the 71st minute. Of his 198 appearances for the Gunners, only 115 came as a starter.

Despite manager Arsene Wenger's efforts to manage the additional costs, Arsenal reportedly paid approximately £1.4million in appearance-related fees during the player's six seasons in north London.

The amount represented almost half of the £3million maximum available through the performance-related clauses in the transfer agreement.

The unusual arrangement also attracted attention during a 2024 episode of the That Peter Crouch Podcast, when former Liverpool striker Peter Crouch and ex-Chelsea midfielder Steve Sidwell discussed the details.

Crouch explained that Arsenal had to pay the additional £10,000 whenever Oxlade-Chamberlain played for 20 minutes or more, leaving Sidwell surprised by the arrangement.

Oxlade-Chamberlain eventually left Arsenal for Liverpool in 2017 in a £40million transfer, becoming the club's most expensive sale at the time.

He spent six seasons at Anfield, winning the Premier League, Champions League and EFL Cup before moving to Besiktas in 2023. He later joined Celtic earlier in 2026.

The midfielder also earned 35 caps for England between 2012 and 2019 and won three FA Cup medals during his Arsenal career.

The contract clause remains an unusual example of how performance-related payments can influence transfer agreements, while offering fresh insight into the financial details behind Oxlade-Chamberlain's time at Arsenal.