HAVING been newcomers to the level last summer, Oxford United will be able to prove to players this time round that the club can compete in Sky Bet Championship.
The U’s secured safety with a game to spare and that will surely bode well when attempting to lure potential signings this summer.
There may be scope for United to bring in players from the three relegated Premier League sides, and we picked out six possible options below.
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Will Alves (Leicester City)
Starting with a player who would almost certainly arrive on loan is 20-year-old attacker Alves.
He joined Cardiff City for the second half of the 2024/25 campaign, and scored once, while claiming three assists, in 14 Championship appearances.
The platform that the U’s provided for Foxes centre back Ben Nelson this season may be a sweetener if United are interested in Alves.
Nathan Broadhead (Ipswich Town)
The 27-year-old forward can play in different roles across the final third, and that quality is likely to appeal to U’s head coach Gary Rowett.
Wales international Broadhead has played 16 times in the Premier League for the Tractor Boys this season, but 10 of those games were from the bench.
His goal record in recent years is promising though, with double figures notched in each of the three seasons previous to this campaign.
A bit of a wild card on this list considering his pedigree, but Fraser has seen game time limited this season.
The 31-year-old winger has played eight times in the Premier League for the Saints, with those games split equally between starts and substitute appearances.
His CV though, particularly from his time at AFC Bournemouth, is impressive.
Marcus Harness (Ipswich Town)
United have come up against 29-year-old winger Harness in recent seasons, and he often catches the eye.
He scored 31 goals in 134 matches during a three-year stint at Portsmouth, which included a strike in the 2019/20 League One play-off semi-finals against the U’s.
Harness spent this season on loan at Derby County, where he got four goals and three assists in the Championship.
Like his Foxes teammate Alves, a move for 23-year-old attacker McAteer would likely be a loan one.
He’s had loan spells at Forest Green Rovers and AFC Wimbledon in the past, and then enjoyed a strong 2023/24 campaign with the Foxes, scoring seven goals in 26 games.
This season, he has played 16 times in the Premier League, with nine of those games from the bench.
Charlie Taylor (Southampton)
Similarly to his Saints teammate Fraser, 31-year-old left back Taylor would bring strong experience to United.
He began his career at Leeds United, and had a seven-year spell at Burnley prior to joining the Saints last summer. However, he has featured just nine times in all competitions.
