Former West Brom and Ipswich Town winger Kyle Edwards has agreed a short-term contract, with Oxford United following his previous spell with the club last season.
The 26-year-old, who initially joined the U’s on loan from Ipswich Town, impressed enough during his time at the Kassam Stadium to earn a permanent deal after his Ipswich contract was terminated by mutual consent in January.
Despite suffering a hamstring injury that prematurely ended his 2022/23 season, Edwards remained with Oxford to complete his rehabilitation. His efforts during pre-season have now earned him a contract until January, with the club confident in his recovery and readiness to contribute to their Championship campaign.
Speaking about his return, Edwards said: “This has been a tough time for me in my career to battle through injury, but I am so thankful for everything the club and the people around me have done to help me return to fitness.” He expressed determination to repay the faith the club has shown, adding: “It was my ambition all summer to fight my way back…so when the club came to me with this contract it was a no-brainer.”
Edwards will now reunite with former Ipswich teammates Greg Leigh and Idris El Mizouni as his club aims to build on a solid start to the season. They are currently sitting ninth in the Championship with two wins from four matches.
The winger made his name at West Bromwich Albion, joining their academy at the age of six. After progressing through the youth system, he made his first senior appearance on loan at Exeter City in 2017, scoring twice in 28 appearances. Edwards returned to West Brom and made his first-team debut in 2018, scoring important goals during the club’s EFL Cup run. He played a key role in helping West Brom achieve promotion to the Premier League in 2019-20, featuring in 30 matches that season.
However, his opportunities were limited during West Brom’s Premier League campaign, and after 17 years with the club, Edwards departed in 2021. He then signed for Ipswich Town, where he made 63 appearances and scored three goals. Following the mutual termination of his contract with Ipswich in January 2024, Edwards joined Oxford United permanently after a successful loan spell.
Writer’s View
There’s value to be had in the free agent market, as Oxford have proven here, but it runs much deeper. There’s a feeling that football is changing a bit, and injured players are treated much better than in the past. Oxford have taken the time to manage Kyle Edwards the person, not the player and asset, over the summer. That’s really crucial, as with sports science these days, and injured player can recover quickly and get back to his best.
If Edwards does get back to his best, he’ll be a huge asset for the Us, who have surprised everyone with their quick start under Des Buckingham. They only scraped into the playoffs last season courtesy of Portsmouth beating Lincoln City on the final day, but since then, they haven’t looked back.
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