Oxford united FC
Oxford United boss Aaron Ramsey explains Will Vaulks exit
The 32-year-old became the third player to leave the club after United were hit with a temporary transfer ban at the beginning of July.
Vaulks joined Nik Prelec and Ole Romeny – who left on loan- in departing the club this summer, returning to the club where he spent his academy career, Tranmere Rovers.
Dropping down to League Two, the former Wales international leaves Oxford after two years in the Championship with the club, playing 88 times for the Yellows and scoring twice.
The former Oxford midfielder was left out of the U’s squad in their final pre-season friendly, a 2-0 win over Premier League side Ipswich Town, and went on to be announced as a Tranmere player on Monday evening.
United head coach Ramsey opened up on Vaulks’ departure in his press conference before the club’s first competitive fixture of the season, an away trip to Leyton Orient in the Carabao Cup.
“We had some honest conversations with Will and the opportunity came up for him to pursue his new opportunity there,” the 35-year-old Yellows boss said.
“I mean, he’s been great for this club and what he’s done on and off the field here has been remarkable.
“We just wish Will the best of luck now going forward.”
A statement from Oxford included the message: “On behalf of everyone at Oxford United, thank you Will.
“We wish you all the best with your future and we will continue to drive your important work forward.”
From the Wirral, Vaulks moves closer to home by joining Darrell Clarke’s side.
Upon joining Rovers, the centre midfielder said: “I’m grateful to be back.
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“I spent 10 years at the club, but never played a first team game, so this is a move that has been on my mind for a number of years now.
“I really wanted to come back to my boyhood club.
“I made it clear that I wasn’t going anywhere else, other than to Tranmere, it was the club I wanted to join.
“I’m a Wirral boy and I can’t wait to give everything for the club.”
As well as contributing on the pitch for Oxford, Vaulks made a huge impact off it, using his personal story to establish the award-winning Can We Talk? suicide prevention campaign.
He was nationally and internationally recognised for his campaigning, winning awards including the FIFPRO Player Voice and was recently named PFA Community Player of the Year.
The 2026/27 EFL Cup supercomputer forecast, combining mathematical probability algorithms and agentic AI, suggests the Yellows will defeat Leyton Orient 2-1 at Brisbane Road.
This will be Ramsey’s first competitive fixture since taking charge.
The computer model – conducted by Andy’s Bet Club – anticipates several other first-round outcomes, including Rochdale, recently promoted from the National League, surprising Bradford City with a penalty shootout victory.
In the southern section of the competition, League Two’s Barnet are expected to beat Cambridge United, who are a league higher.
The supercomputer also foresees victories for West Ham United, Birmingham City, Burnley, and Wolves, all advancing unscathed to the second round.
On the other hand, Oxford’s fierce rivals, Swindon Town, are predicted to exit in the first round, losing 2-0 to Championship side Cardiff City.
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The first round of the EFL Cup, for the first time in six years, is set to take place before the start of the league season.
The supercomputer predicts that West Ham United will be the last remaining EFL team in the competition, bowing out in the quarter-finals against Chelsea.
The eventual winners, according to the supercomputer, will be Manchester City, claiming their 10th title.
The U’s begin the season with a Carabao Cup journey to Leyton Orient on Saturday which will also mark former Arsenal star Aaron Ramsey’s first competitive game in charge.
Oxford secured a perfect record in pre-season with four wins from four including a 2-0 win over Premier League club Ipswich Town.
Hit with a temporary transfer embargo in July, the U’s brought in one new player before the ban in former Hearts defender Frankie Kent.
They have seen four players depart in Matt Ingram, Nik Prelec and Will Vaulks permanently, as well as Ole Romeny on loan.
There have been a few changes to player squad numbers on the eve of the new season.
Notably, South Korean attacker Jeon Jin-woo has taken the no.7 from departed winger Przemyslaw Placheta who left earlier this summer after his contract expired with the Yellows.
New signing Kent will wear the no.5 despite picking up an anterior cruciate ligament injury which rules him out of action for a number of months.
Academy graduate Tyler Goodrham has changed his number from no.19 to no.11 which was held by Romeny last term.
New numbers and squad list confirmed ✅
Looks like young Monty Marriott will be third choice goalkeeper – all other youngsters that featured in pre-season are included and handed squad numbers 🔢 #oufc 🟡 https://t.co/ZtWECiNrEp
— malachi (@MalachiObrey) August 7, 2026
January signing Jamie McDonnell will wear the no.18 shirt which was worn by Louie Sibley last year; the latter will now wear no.32.
21-year-old striker Gatlin O’Donkor, who scored in three out of four pre-season fixtures, will take over the no.19 shirt formerly worn by Goodrham.
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Youngsters James Golding (no.25), Leo Snowden (no.27), Aidan Elliott-Wheeler (no.37), Monty Marriott (no.41) and Harrison Bradney (no.44) are all included on the list.
Marriott will seemingly be the new third-choice shot-stopper, with veteran Simon Eastwood (no.13) as the second choice.
The three other young academy products all featured in the pre-season victories and have a huge opportunity at securing regular first-team spots amid the current transfer embargo.
🔢 With the first game of the competitive season just hours away, we can confirm the squad list for the 2026/27 season.
— Oxford United (@OUFCOfficial) August 7, 2026
Marselino Ferdinan is one who is notably absent.
There has been no information on his contract status as of yet, with the Indonesian not named in the U’s post.
The 21-year-old spent time on loan at Slovakian club AS Trencin last season but suffered an injury which curtailed his year.
The confirmed numbers come three days after United released their new away kit showcasing Oxford’s performing arts scene.
Supporters can now choose which player and number to select when purchasing the new home and away shirts.
Oxford begin the new campaign with a trip to Leyton Orient in the Carabao Cup on Saturday afternoon, marking the start of a new era under the leadership of former Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey.
The U’s have had a summer of mixed fortunes, winning all four of their pre-season fixtures after being hit with a temporary transfer embargo for failing to comply with the EFL’s Squad Cost Management Protocol (SCMP) regulations.
With the Yellows unable to bring in new faces or replace departing names, young players and those formerly on the fringes of the squad have been given a huge opportunity to secure a first-team place.
As one of the senior figures at the club, Brannagan has opened up on his influence on those players.
“I’ve had close conversations with them because it’s a great opportunity for the younger ones to come through,” the 30-year-old declared.
“The stage is theirs, to be honest. I’m sure that Gaff has come in and had conversations with them and said that there will be opportunity for you.
“If it was me as a young kid now, I’d be looking at that going, this is my chance.
“They’re all great kids; they work very hard and they do deserve the opportunity.
“I wish them all the best and hopefully they will grab that opportunity by the scruff of the neck and do really well.”
One of those young players is fellow midfielder Harrison Bradney, a youngster who has progressed through the club’s academy since joining at the age of seven and impressed in his performances in pre-season.
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“I try to help them all, to be honest, in their own ways,” Brannagan continued.
“It’s never easy as a young kid, especially stepping into the first-team environment but, yeah, Bradley is great.
“I see it in training; he’s got great quality and he’s got potential to hopefully have a great career.
“Bradney knows if he obviously ever needs anything, we’re always here to help him.
“I think he’s been great pre-season and trained really well; [it is a] massive season for him.”
Three players have left the club – Ole Romeny, Nik Prelec and Will Vaulks – since the embargo hit but the U’s players have had to remain focused on the season ahead amidst the off-field drama.
“There’s always conversation in the dressing room, but obviously that’s for the dressing room.
“Everybody here is focused to play for Oxford United and that’s the main focus. Our main focus is tomorrow.
“I know it’s a cup game, but we want to go there and hopefully get the result.
“It’s an important game and we want to get through to the next round.”
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