Portsmouth loan failure and ex-Arsenal and England starlet on the move again to resurrect fading career
The former England Under-20 international made 10 appearances and scored once during a forgettable Blues stay
A former Pompey player once tipped for a big Premier League future only to sink into non-league is on the move again.
Miguel Azeez was an England youth international and among Arsenal’s brightest prospects when he arrived at Fratton Park in August 2021 on a season-long loan.
Yet a hugely-disappointing Fratton Park stay was cut short at the halfway point after 10 games and one goal, with the attacking midfielder subsequently having unsuccessful spells at Wigan, UD Ibiza, Atletico Baleares and PAS Giannina.
Now Carlisle have paid an undisclosed fee to sign Azeez from Morecambe, where he was relegated from the National League last season after returning to English football.
Currently aged 23, he featured 40 times for the Shrimps in 2025-26, scoring six times and providing seven assists.
And Carlisle are hoping their first signing of the summer can help inspire them to a Football League return, having lost in the play-offs to Boreham Wood last term.
‘It's someone who has his best years ahead of him’
‘The challenge to him is to come here and show the ability that everyone knows he's got, build on last year, and I think he'll be a real good goal threat for us.
‘He can play higher, and he can play deeper in midfield, which gives us real versatility, and it means that he really adds to the squad.
‘I think Miguel strengthens that midfield with Callum Whelan and Harvey Macadam, so it puts us in a great position. It's someone who has his best years ahead of him, hopefully developing even more and can be a big part of the club over the next couple of years.’
Big expectations
Much was expected of Azeez at Fratton Park when Danny Cowley persuaded Arsenal to loan the hugely-promising attacker in August 2021.
Representing the then 18-year-old’s first loan away from the Emirates Stadium, he was handed his Blues debut in a 2-1 home defeat to Cambridge United in September 2021.
The teenager spent the next six matches as an unused substitute, while was also absent through England under-20 duty, as Cowley opted to ease him into League One action.
There were starts against Harrow Borough and Harrogate Town in the FA Cup, yet the latter resulted in a humiliating 2-1 home defeat in December 2021, when Azeez featured for the full 90 minutes.
However, there were better days in the Papa Johns Trophy, netting what proved to be his sole Pompey goal in 3-0 victory over Crystal Palace's Under-21s.
He also started a 3-2 success at Exeter in the same competition, with Ronan Curtis scoring twice in the final few minutes to claim a dramatic win in January 2022.
Loan from Arsenal cancelled early
That would prove to be Azeez’s final Pompey appearance, with his loan cut short and the youngster returning to Arsenal after struggling to impress.
Now, four-and-a-half years later, he has completed a move to a Carlisle side under new management after Elliot replaced Mark Hughes as boss last month.
Azeez, who played at every England youth level from the under-16s to the under-20s, has signed a two-year deal with the Cumbrians.
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