Marcus McGuane, once hailed as one of the brightest prospects in Arsenal’s academy who left to sign for for Barcelona, has joined Huddersfield Town in a permanent deal.
The 26-year-old midfielder spent last season with Bristol City, making 24 appearances as they chased a play-off place, but most of those were from the bench and he struggled to secure a regular starting role.
His departure 12 months later comes as new City manager Gerhard Struber reshapes his midfield, bringing in Adam Randell from Plymouth Argyle in McGuane’s preferred position.
“Speaking to the gaffer (Lee Grant), speaking to a few other people around the club, what they’re trying to build and achieve this season (appealed).
“I think the short-term, mid-term and long-term goals here, I’m just excited to be part of the project. I think that the team, they’re building something really good here,” McGuane told HTTV.
“Obviously playing quite a few games in this league from a younger age, I’ve got quite a bit of experience,” McGuane said.
“I know what sort of teams that we come up against and what to expect, I know what the away games are like, and how you need to grind out and get points, and obviously how you can dominate games as well.
“Obviously being promoted from the league as well, I’ve got some experience in that and hopefully I can pass to the boys and I can bring that to the team.”
“I think I come into Huddersfield at a good age with good experiences, I’ve learned a lot and I feel confident in my ability, and what I can bring to the team,” the 26-year-old added.
McGuane’s career has taken an unconventional path since leaving Arsenal in January 2018.
A key figure for the club’s under-18 and under-23 sides, where he primarily operated as a central midfielder but occasionally dropped into defence, he surprised many by accepting a move to Barcelona.
Initially integrated into Barcelona B, he was even deployed out wide despite never being a natural winger.
“Maybe as a kid, I played there. When I was nine or 10,” McGuane said of the switch to the wing. “But I am not a right-winger.”
His time in Catalonia started brightly but quickly lost momentum following a change of coach.
“Everything was going smoothly,” McGuane recalled. “I still hadn’t gone anywhere near my peak but I felt good. I was playing in my natural position and I felt I was getting better. Then Lopez got sacked and [Garcia Pimienta] replaced him.
“I felt the impact straight away. It happened on a Thursday before a game. We were travelling on the Saturday and I wasn’t even in the squad. It was a bit of a shock. After that it was tough. I never had the same feeling that I had during those first few months.”
Seeking playing time, he spent a loan spell with Telstar in the Dutch second division under former Arsenal academy head Andries Jonker, before returning to England with Oxford United and later Bristol City.
Huddersfield have now secured his services for an undisclosed fee as they aim to rebuild. Bristol City thanked McGuane “for his contribution in a City shirt and for his support of the community and Robins Foundation in his time at Ashton Gate.”
For McGuane, the move represents another chance to find stability and fulfil the potential that first drew Barcelona to prise him away from Arsenal’s academy seven years ago.