Ex Oxford United and Reading youth star made free agent after Brentford release

Former Oxford United and Reading youth star Shandon Baptiste has been made a free agent following his release by Premier League side Brentford. The 26-year-old has spent four years with the London club and now looks for a new challenge.

The midfielder made just 12 appearances in all competitions for the Bees this season. Baptiste's early involvement was hampered by a shoulder injury and he later struggled for game time in Thomas Frank's side.

The player has racked up a total of 78 appearances for Brentford since joining from Oxford United in 2020 for around £2.5 million. Baptiste was part of the Brentford squad that achieved promotion to the top flight in 2021, but only managed one league outing that season due to undergoing knee surgery.

Brentford confirmed Baptiste's departure on Sunday, following a 4-2 defeat to Newcastle United, alongside that of Charlie Hodge, Saman Ghoddos and loanees Neal Maupay and Sergio Reguilon. Bees manager Thomas Frank took to the pitch after full-time to thank those players as he addressed supporters at the end of the season.

He said: "Brentford fans, thank you all for your support, love, dedication throughout the year. Today I want to say thank you to a few players that have been on this fantastic journey we have been on in the last five years and brought us to where we are now, going into the fourth season in the best league in the world. Please give applause to Charlie Goode, Sergio Reguilon, Saman Ghoddon, Shandon Baptiste and Neal Maupay.

"Another special thanks to Matthew Benham, without him we would never have been able to achieve this. I said it before, I want this place to be the most difficult place to come in the world and, when it's rocking, it's f***ing rocking.

"The last thing for me, it's been a tough year, we are still in the best league in the world and we are definitely now the most f***ing famous bus stop in the world. Every season we have in the Premier League is a success but these players, the staff, leadership, the board, Matthew, me, you, we all want more, to achieve great things and we can do that together. We really hope we are going to go bigger next year, together."

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Baptiste began his footballing journey as a youth player at Reading between 2005 and 2013 before being released when deemed 'too small' and eventually moved to the set-up at Oxford United. He made his professional debut with the U's in 2017.

The midfielder played an important role in Oxford United's run to the EFL quarter-finals during the 2019/20 season, scoring against West Ham and captaining the side against Manchester City.