Oxford United won promotion from League Two last season, and looked great whilst doing it.

They finished second behind Northampton, and scored more goals than any other team in the division.

The U’s may have left it to the last day, but thoroughly deserve to be playing League One football this coming season.

When you look at the Oxford squad, it is of a decent calibre.

Their focus may well not be on scoring goals next season but keeping them out of the other end; after selling Kemar Roofe to Leeds and Callum O'Dowda to Bristol City, manager Michael Appleton has brought in Aaron Martin from Coventry and Curtis Nelson from Plymouth.

Whilst more arrivals are still possible, their backline is by far looking stronger at the time of writing.

As hinted, a few more additions and they will be serious contenders. However, the signings that the ex-Portsmouth boss has already sanctioned seems to have left a few players wondering whether their game time will be that often when the season kicks off at home to Chesterfield on August 6th.

Here, in the opinion of FLW’s Ryan Evans, are THREE Oxford players that are fighting for their futures at the club:

 

James Roberts

The promising striker wasn't able to muscle his way into the first team of United last season, and ended up on three different loan spells.

He spent some time down in the National League with Chester, scoring one and setting up one in his six appearances before returning to the Kassam and being shipped out to neighbours Oxford City, playing four times in the National League South.

He also played at Barnet in League Two, although for just 82 minutes.

However, when he returned, he was given four appearances for Oxford United and claimed an assist in the 5-1 victory over Crawley Town.

The 20-year old could well turn out to be a very good player, but if he can't get into the side when in League Two it's doubtful Appleton will want to have him playing in his League One XI.

The Oxford manager has already brought in Wes Thomas from Birmingham, and has Ryan Taylor and Chris Maguire as forwards at the club.

He is also likely to bring in more attacking options following the aforementioned sales of Roofe and O’Dowda, and it could quickly turn out that there is no space in the plans of the Oxford managerial team for Roberts.

However, there will be no shortage of interest in the striker from clubs in League Two and the National League.

Johnny Giles

The right-midfielder is another who wasn't in Appleton's thoughts when it came to the first team; in fact the most action that he got was being named an unused substitute five times in a row.

He did, however, have a loan spell at National League side Southport, where he played 204 minutes and the club ended up losing three of the four games he featured in.

If he can't get into the Southport first team often, it's unlikely that he'll be able to get anywhere near the Oxford first team in the months to come, and the 22-year old is probably at the risk of being either loaned out or sold.

Whilst that is probably likely, the Oxford boss may feel that Giles is a player that he'd like to keep at the Kassam and see what he develops into.

Cheyenne Dunkley

Dunkley joined the U's from non-league Kidderminster in January 2015 after a successful six week loan spell at the club.

He, alongside Jake Wright, finished the season as the club's first choice centre-back pairing. But after Wright moved to divisional rivals Sheffield United and Appleton brought in Plymouth's Curtis Nelson and Coventry's Aaron Martin, it is likely the latter two will be the starting centre backs next term, and not the man from Wolverhampton.

Dunkley made 29 appearances and scored four last time around, but thanks to an amazing season where Nelson guided Plymouth to Wembley and Martin was given high praise by Tony Mowbray following his release, they'll probably be higher up in Appleton's thoughts.

Both Nelson and Martin play out from the back in a style that the ex-Manchester United player likes in his teams, and could turn out to be an unstoppable force in League One next season.

Therefore, unless Dunkley can displace one of them by proving his worth during pre-season, he may well be on the substitutes bench at the Kassam way too often for his liking.

Oxford fans, what do you think? What three players do you think your club should sell? Let us know your opinions via the comments box below!