FORMER Arsenal academy star Marcus McGuane is beginning to showcase his talent for Oxford in League One.
The midfielder, 24, spent 12 years with the Gunners between 2005 and 2018 after signing for the club at the age of just six.
He was a part of the academy that also housed the likes of Eddie Nketiah and Joe Willock.
And he then featured twice for Arsenal's first team in the 2017/18 campaign – both in the Europa League.
But he was then sold as a teenager to Barcelona where he spent two seasons, featuring 26 times for their reserve side.
During that time, he joined Dutch side Telstar on loan – who were being coached by former Arsenal academy manager Andries Jonker.
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Explaining McGuane's situation, Jonker said: "Marcus said 'I’m not enjoying football anymore, I need to rediscover it. You can help me'.
"I heard he moved to Barcelona. I've been there. It is very, very difficult to come through. On one hand, I was proud of him. On the other, I thought, 'Is this the right thing to do?'
"He decided he wanted to come back to me and enjoy football again.”
After one goal and three assists in 13 games for Telstar, McGuane left Barcelona in 2020 without playing a game for their senior side as he joined Nottingham Forest.
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Six months later he was farmed out on loan to Oxford for the 2020/21 campaign.
He played 21 times across that season and impressed enough to secure a permanent move to the third-tier club.
McGuane has contributed one goal and eight assists since his Oxford debut.
And he recently won the club's September Player of the Month award.
Oxford sit second in League One and look set to compete for promotion to the Championship this season.
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