Former Millwall and Bolton Wanderers midfielder Jem Karacan featured for Oxford United’s under 23s on trial in a friendly against AFC Wimbledon yesterday as reported by the Oxford Mail.
U’s boss Karl Robinson has been searching the free-agent market after injuries to Jamie Hanson and George Thorne left his midfield cover looking threadbare, and Karacan is available following the expiration of his contract in April with Australian outfit Central Coast Mariners.
The thirty-year-old began his career at Reading, where he helped the club to the Premier League and appeared regularly for the Royals in the top division before spells at Galatasaray and Bursaspor in his Turkish homeland.
A move to Bolton Wanderers followed and in just over a year with the Trotters, he clocked up twenty-one league outings, helping Bolton to League One promotion and then featuring for them in the Championship the following campaign. However, the option to extend his contract was not taken up, and Karacan signed a short term deal with Millwall before heading out to Australia.
Karacan was offered a contract by the U’s before he opted to join the Lions and it now appears Robinson is taking a close look at the experienced campaigner as he looks to build on an exciting start to the campaign for his goal happy side.
Oxford went down 4-1 to the Dons in a match Dutch youngster Malik Dijksteel also featured. The eighteen-year-old is the brother of Anfernee, who played under Robinson at Charlton Athletic.
Our View
Karacan’s career has faltered recently but he is vastly experienced and works very hard in the midfield.
His best days may be behind him but he’s played Premier League and Champions League and he’s composed on the ball with an eye for goal.
If he’s fit he could certainly do a job for Oxford In League One.
