Oxford United's season is up in the air right now as they battle for a League One play-off place, with the U's currently sitting outside of the top six after spending most of the last few months inside it.

Karl Robinson's side have lost back-to-back matches at the worst possible time but they've got enough talent in the squad to make a real push back into the play-off spots in the final few weeks of the campaign.

At this moment in time you have to assume on current form that Oxford will be in League One once again next season, and until they know what league they're in then the transfer team cannot really prepare for the 2022-23 campaign and beyond.

 

 

 

 

Despite that, let's look at three upcoming free agents that the U's may be well worth looking at come the summertime.

Admiral Muskwe

Oxford's current out-and-out striking options besides Matty Taylor are in their 30's in the form of Sam Baldock and Sam Winnall, so they could do with a younger alternative to their talisman.

Whilst Muskwe's contract length was never disclosed by Luton upon his arrival last summer, transfermarkt have it down as expiring this June, and considering he's only played 17 times for the Hatters this season his deal may not be extended.

Muskwe scored three times in 17 appearances for Wycombe last season in the Championship so he clearly does know where the back of the net is, and at the age of 23 he can still improve - that's why he would be a good player to provide competition for Taylor.

Shaun Rooney

If Robinson is going to continue to use a system that utilises wing-backs then he could do with signing some natural ones instead of playing square pegs in round holes.

Sam Long is out of contract and so is Anthony Forde, so Robinson could look north of the border and take a punt on Rooney, who currently plays for St Johnstone.

The 25-year-old has missed a large portion of the current campaign with an ankle injury but in the Saints' double cup-winning campaign last season, Rooney scored six goals and notched three assists in all competitions, so he could provide something at both ends of the pitch for Oxford on the right flank.

Yan Dhanda

There's a lot of creativity in Oxford's current squad, but most of that could be lost at the end of the season with Billy Bodin out of contract and both Nathan Holland and Gavin Whyte set to return to their parent clubs.

Reinforcements will need to be brought in and if Robinson is looking for fresh talent, then Dhanda is a player who needs a fresh start away from Swansea City.

The ex-Liverpool midfielder has made just three appearances in the Championship this season under Russell Martin and looks destined to depart at the end of the season, and with Robinson's teams naturally being attacking he could fit right in in the number 10 role or playing off the left.

At 23 years old, Dhanda still has time to develop, so Oxford could be the perfect move.