Free agent former Gunner joins Arsenal first-team training pre-Atletico | OneFootball

Former Gunner Tyreece John-Jules joined Arsenal’s first-team training session on Monday as the team prepared for their Champions League match against Atletico Madrid.

Image via BeanymanSports on YouTube

As Arsenal took part in a first-team training session on Monday afternoon, ex-academy striker Tyreece John-Jules lined up alongside his former teammates.

John-Jules was playing for Crawley Town in League One last season, but following the team’s relegation he was released and became a free agent.

Since then, he’s taken part in a PFA-organised friendly against the Brighton and Hove Albion u21s, scoring one of the free-agent team’s two goals, and he’s also spent time training with the Arsenal u21s.

But Monday’s involvement in a senior session would have been another step up in intensity, particularly given it was the day before a big Champions League match.

Photo via John-Jules on Twitter

John-Jules was wearing an u19 top, typical of youth players joining first-team training ahead of a Champions League match. That’s because the u19s play in the UEFA Youth League on the same day as the senior fixtures.

The ex-Arsenal striker made 27 appearances for Crawley last season and managed to stay fit, after a number of injury problems in previous campaigns.

But after spending much of the 2024/25 campaign making substitute appearances, the former Gunner will now be on the lookout for a club where he can be a starter.

Arsenal have a history of allowing their former players to come back and train with the club when they don’t have their own team to work with, and John-Jules has always been popular in north London.

Photo via Twitter / Arsenal Academy

Perhaps that’s true now more than ever, as John-Jules is good friends with summer signing Noni Madueke. When Madueke’s signing was finalised, John-Jules was in attendance at London Colney to celebrate the transfer with him.

But the hope will be that the 24-year-old can soon find a new club of his own, as he clearly has a lot to offer.