The draw for the competition, which is open to clubs in League One and League Two as well as 16 Under-21 sides, has happened today (Tuesday, June 23).

The U’s have twice been runners up for the trophy and have now been drawn in Group A of the Southern Section alongside Cheltenham Town and Exeter City.

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The group will be completed on Thursday at 2:30pm, when the draw will take place live on Sky Sports, where one of eight Premier League Under-21 sides will be allocated.

Group stage fixtures will be confirmed in due course, with dates, kick-off times and ticket information to be announced as soon as they are finalised.

Ex-Arsenal man Aaron Ramsey is favourite to become Oxford United’s next head coach (Image: David Davies/PA Wire)

The top two teams from each group will progress to the knockout stages of the competition. with the group stage kicking off in September

This comes with Oxford United searching for a new manager after the dismissal of Matt Bloomfield on Saturday, June 20.

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He joined the club midway through the season and was unable to save them from the drop from The Championship.

Ex-Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey is the favourite to take over as head coach, the Oxford Mail understands, with there being long-standing interest in the 35-year-old.

The appointment could be confirmed in the coming days.

Peart-Harris spent the second half of last season on loan with the U’s in the Championship, aiding their upturn in form before the side ran out of steam at the end of the campaign and were condemned to relegation.

The former Brentford and Chelsea midfielder was United’s second of eight signings of the January transfer window and played 20 games for the club, scoring three goals.

Oxford confirmed that 10 players were released last month at the end of their contracts, including Peart-Harris who was signed in the winter on a permanent deal until the end of the season.

The 23-year-old has been a suggested target for a number of clubs in both the Championship and League One by various news outlets and has now been touted for a move to Brisbane Road.

According to reporter John Harriott, Peart-Harris is ‘on the verge’ of completing a free transfer to United’s third-tier rivals Leyton Orient.

Oxford United midfielder Myles Peart-Harris challenges for the ball (Image: Jason Dawson)

The U’s head of recruitment Scott Mitchell recently moved to Orient to become their new director of football and it is believed he would like to take the former Yellows midfielder with him to London.

Apparently, Mitchell views Peart-Harris as an upgrade on O’s midfielder Charlie Wellens who is son of the club’s manager Richie Wellens.

Two of the 10 released men have secured contracts with new clubs.

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Striker Will Goodwin signed for League Two side Gillingham earlier this month to bring an end to a disappointing two-year spell in OX4.

The 24-year-old managed one goal in just 11 appearances for Oxford.

Former Yellows midfielder Myles Peart-Harris (Image: ©Jason Dawson)

Meanwhile, Joshua Johnson has signed for National League South outfit Maidenhead United.

The Yellows academy product joined the Berkshire side after making his professional debut with United as a 16-year-old.

Five loan spells later, he returns to Maidenhead permanently, the club he was most recently shipped out to.

The U’s are looking for a new head coach after parting ways with head coach Matt Bloomfield on Saturday.

Oxford are now on the look out for a new boss to take them into the 2026/27 League One campaign, with Aaron Ramsey currently in talks to take over as exclusively reported by the Oxford Mail.

United are yet to make a first signing themselves after the summer window opened last week.

Recently, United rescinded their interest in Colchester United forward Kyreece Lisbie, also exclusively revealed by the Oxford Mail, who looks set to sign for Thames Valley rivals Reading.

Interest died down after the departure of Bloomfield and head of recruitment Mitchell to Orient.

Oxford sacked their head coach Matt Bloomfield on Saturday almost two months after the end of their Championship campaign, with the club currently searching for a new name to guide them into League One.

The U’s had expressed interest in Lisbie having met with the 22-year-old previously but have since reduced their interest.

The Oxford Mail understands that the club has no made no recent contact whilst three League One rivals have had bids accepted.

According to the Reading Chronicle , Reading, Huddersfield Town and Sheffield Wednesday have all had bids accepted, with Sky Sports now reporting that Lisbie is undergoing a medical with the Royals.

Colchester United’s Kyreece Lisbie (centre) celebrates (Image: Cody Froggatt/PA Wire)

The location of the Berkshire club is understood to have been a factor in choosing Reading as his next destination.

Interest from Oxford is now considered over, especially after the departures of Bloomfield and head of recruitment Scott Mitchell to Leyton Orient earlier this month, the Oxford Mail understands.

The Colchester man had his breakout season last term after moving to Essex from Brentford in 2025, scoring 11 goals and managing six assists in 45 League Two appearances.

Understand there hasn’t been any recent contact from Oxford United regarding Kyreece Lisbie ❌

Led to believe U’s interest is over, especially since Matt Bloomfield and Scott Mitchell’s departures#oufc 🟡 https://t.co/O2GRSBJJE0

— malachi (@MalachiObrey) June 21, 2026

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He has been the subject of plenty of interest in League One this summer, with Peterborough United also previously interest but deciding against meeting Lisbie’s wage demands.

United are yet to make their first signing of the summer transfer window, which officially opened last week.

Colchester United manager Danny Cowley (left) celebrates with Colchester United’s Kyreece Lisbie (Image: Nigel French/PA Wire)

The club has undergone significant changes higher up the food chain after Mitchell’s departure and the arrival of new chairman Dusan Bogdanovic who replaced Grant Ferguson, the former chair moving to a role on the board.

Head coach Bloomfield was dismissed at the weekend meaning the club’s next priority is finding a new boss, with the players reporting back for pre-season on Wednesday, June 24.

The Oxford Mail reported earlier that former Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey is of interest to Oxford, with the Welshman shooting to the top of the bookmakers’ odds to become the next U’s head coach.

The club has previously met with Ramsey and were impressed with the former Gunners and Juventus man.

The 35-year-old is looking for his first role in professional football management having previously taken over at boyhood club Cardiff City for the span of three games after Omer Riza lost his job in 2025.

Ramsey holds a UEFA A License and is currently studying for his UEFA Pro Licence and has spent time shadowing Wales manager Craig Bellamy.