Crystal Palace has recalled 21-year-old winger Malcolm Ebiowei from his loan spell at Oxford United due to a lack of playing opportunities.
The season-long loan, intended to aid the development of the England-born Nigerian youngster, was cut short as he struggled to secure regular minutes under Oxford managers Des Buckingham and Gary Rowett.
Ebiowei made just one start for the U’s, featuring for 77 minutes in a Carabao Cup loss to Coventry City in August. Before that, he played 45 minutes off the bench in the previous round against Peterborough.
In the Championship, his contributions were limited to just 64 minutes spread across four substitute appearances.
The lack of consistent game time has been deemed insufficient for a young player aiming to establish himself and gain valuable experience in competitive football.
Crystal Palace’s decision to recall Ebiowei signals their intent to reassess his development path and potentially find a more suitable environment for his progress.
Ebiowei’s brief stint at Oxford highlights the challenges young players often face when transitioning to lower-league football in search of regular playtime.
