It seems that Oxford United defender Elliott Moore will be going nowhere this summer, or for some time after, for that matter.

Less than a month after the U's confirmed they had taken up the option to extend Moore's contract by a further 12 months to secure his future at the club until the summer of 2023, it was announced on Tuesday that the centre back has now signed a new long term deal with the League One side.

The new three-year contract secures Moore's future at the Kassam Stadium until the end of the 2024/25 season, and will be even more pleasing for those of an Oxford persuasion, given the recent rumours around their club captain.

According to reports, Championship side Bristol City have been interested in a potential summer transfer window swoop for Moore, after scouting him during the latter stages of the 2021/22 campaign.

This new contract however, means that the centre back will be staying where he is this summer, rather than following a similar route to some of his now former Oxford teammates.

The Kassam Stadium has certainly been a useful source of reinforcement for Bristol City in recent times, with centre back Rob Atkinson joining the Robins from Oxford last summer, before midfielder Mark Sykes made the same move just a few weeks ago.

As a result, not only would a move to Ashton Gate have allowed Moore to step up a level, it would also have given him the chance to reunite with two individuals who has enjoyed a rather successful link up with in the past.

With that in mind, the prospect of joining Bristol City would no doubt have been an appealing one for Moore, meaning this new contract at the Kassam Stadium does feel like a feather in the cap for Oxford.

Beyond that, Moore's current age means that by the time his new contract expires, he will be in the peak years of his career, and at the point where he wants to be playing at as high a level as possible.

The fact that he has signed this deal, therefore suggests that Moore is confident that Oxford is a club that can take him in the right direction to do just that, which again feels significant given the opportunities he might have had elsewhere.

Taking that into consideration, you feel that Moore's apparent confidence in being willing to sign that new deal with the club, and the fact that means they are now keeping such an important player, is something that should allow those of an Oxford persuasion to head into the rest of the summer, with a great deal of optimism.