The U's News

A Look at Oxford United’s Departed Duo

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Following Shandon Baptiste and Tariqe Fosu’s departure to Brentford on transfer deadline day, we take a look at both players and their time at the club;

Baptiste joined the club as a youngster from Reading but subsequently came through the ranks at the club having joined the youth system in 2015.

Although the youngster suffered two shoulder dislocations as a scholar, he proved his worth and earned a short term contract.

Baptiste made his debut in the Football League Trophy against Stevenage and signed a long term deal.

Despite a loan move to Hampton and Richmond Borough – where he made 21 appearances – he came back to the League One club with a bang. He scored a sensational first goal against Newport County before showing his potential against Sunderland.

The youngster then captained the side in the third round of the Carabao Cup against Manchester City, but injuries hampered his first-team progress.

A replication of his shoulder injury halted his game time before he ruptured his knee ligaments upon his return, ironically against the Bees in the FA Cup.

Having spent large parts of last season out injured, the Grenada international had been key for the U’s this season, scoring four and providing four assists for the club.

As for Fosu, he only joined in the summer but also played a key part of the U’s successful season.

The winger flourished under Karl Robinson while at Charlton, but as the Addicks won promotion to the Championship under Lee Bowyer, Fosu struggled for form.

Instead of sticking with the newly promoted Championship side, Fosu dropped a league to reunite his relationship with Robinson at Oxford.

The winger settled in quickly and scored on his debut as the U’s drew at Sunderland on the opening day of the season.

The 24-year-old scored eight goals before the end of October, which included a hat trick as the U’s secured a record-breaking away win in the Football League after a sensational 6-0 win at Lincoln City.

Just two more goals followed but the winger reached double figures – more in a single season than he had achieved at Charlton during his two seasons at the club.

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