The U’s were relegated last season after finishing 22nd and return to the third tier after two years in the Championship.

The club released ten players at the end of the campaign upon the expiry of their contracts, including first-team regulars Przemyslaw Placheta and Hidde ter Avest.

There is work to be done in deciding to futures of fringe players such as Siriki Dembele, Peter Kioso, and Greg Leigh, but there is also expected to be interest in some of the more standout squad members.

Michal Helik

An experienced Championship centre back having played over 200 second-tier matches, Helik will likely garner interest from England and abroad.

The Pole was crucial in helping the U’s stay in the division last season under Gary Rowett and, despite not having quite the same impact this term, has reportedly already drawn interest the Championship and Polish league.

Michal Helik celebrates scoring for Oxford United (Image: Jason Dawson)

Sources in Poland confirmed that Helik has a release clause in his contract following United’s relegation which is reportedly in the region of £650,000.

The 30-year-old has been relegated from the Championship twice before with both Barnsley and Huddersfield Town both times managed to secure transfer moves back to the second tier with the Terriers and then Oxford.

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Brian De Keersmaecker

After being widely-recognised as the Yellows’ best player as the team struggled in the first half of the season, De Keersmaecker has already drawn admirers from elsewhere despite only arriving in OX4 last summer.

Oxford United’s Brian De Keersmaecker (right) celebrates scoring against Preston (Image: Steven Paston/PA Wire)

The Belgian picked up a shoulder injury in January and opted to have surgery which ended his season early.

Despite this, De Keersmaecker impressed during his time in a yellow shirt and was recently linked to second-tier side Derby County by reporter Alan Nixon.

The former Heracles Almelo midfielder scored his only goal for the U’s in a 2-1 defeat to Preston North End in December and managed five assists in his 28 appearances.

Stan Mills

Mills won both the Supporters’ Player of the Year and Players’ Player of the Year awards for Oxford this season after a standout year in yellow.

Stan Mills puts Oxford 1-0 up against Derby (Image: Michael Allen)

The 22-year-old was a consistently impressive performer on the right flank, bursting into life under Matt Bloomfield in the second half of the campaign.

He will no doubt have admirers from the Championship and so it is down to the club as to the size of the price tag on his head this summer.

It feels like a win-win regarding Mills, with the U’s either earning good money for a sale or keeping a player who will no doubt take League One by storm.

The U’s will compete in the third tier of English football next season after suffering relegation from the Championship this term, finishing 22nd in the league and four points from safety.

With their relegation, the club will naturally take a financial hit which, with a new stadium and upgrades to the academy in the pipeline, will be a challenge for the U’s to navigate.

Last week, the EFL confirmed changes to the Salary Cost Management Protocol (SCMP) rules in League One and League Two.

In a statement, the EFL stated: “League One Clubs approved changes to the existing Salary Cost Management Protocol (SCMP) rules, with the aim of reducing losses and the reliance on owner funding in the division.

“The long-standing SCMP rules limit spending on player wages to a percentage of a club’s turnover.”

Oxford United’s Cameron Brannagan celebrates scoring (Image: Steven Paston/PA Wire)

The changes mean that clubs in League One will now only be able to spend 50 per cent of their turnover on wages, compared to the 60 per cent previously permitted.

However, the rules differ for clubs relegated from the Championship who will be able to 65 per cent of turnover on wages, compared a previous 75 per cent.

In addition to these rules, the EFL also confirmed further updates: “League One clubs also approved a change to remove the staggered approach to equity injections in the division, meaning that all equity injections will be included within the calculation at 50%.

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“As an example, this means that if an owner invests £500k into the club, a maximum of £250k (in addition to that already permitted as a percentage of turnover) can be spent on wages.

“This approach is intended to encourage investment into other areas of club operations, such as infrastructure and youth development.”

Oxford United manager Matt Bloomfield reacts following the Sky Bet Championship match at the bet365 Stadium, Stoke (Image: Martin Rickett/PA Wire)

Speaking on BBC Radio Oxford’s podcast The Dub, EFL pundit and Oxford United fan, George Elek, reviewed the changes.

“It transpires that this has been in the works for quite a long time and that this won’t be a shock to anybody at the club,” Elek said.

“I’m sure that early budgetary conversations had factored this in. This wasn’t one of those things that suddenly came out of nowhere to impact everything.

“It might mean that trying to get back up this season is going to be easier than what comes after, but it gives us time to, I guess, cost effectively if we need to, plan for next summer rather than having to immediately bring the wage bill down to that degree.

“I’d say no cause for alarm and a silver lining in there that we get special dispensation after relegation.”

David Winnie, a footballer turned solicitor, played one match for Boro 33 years ago. He was part of a three-person panel which kicked Southampton out of the play-offs for spying on a Middlesbrough training session ahead of their semi-final first leg.

There has been some social media commentary over whether that link brought into question his independent status, but Winnie said on Friday: “The suggestion that a single appearance for Middlesbrough Football Club more than three decades ago could in any way influence my judgment as a member of an independent disciplinary commission is wholly without foundation.

“My involvement with the club consisted of one professional appearance approximately 33 years ago and has no bearing whatsoever on my ability to approach these proceedings impartially and objectively.

Southampton manager Tonda Eckert (left) and Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola in discussion (Image: Adam Davy/PA Wire)

“As with all commission members, my duty was to consider only the evidence, the applicable EFL regulations, and the submissions advanced by the parties. The decision reached was unanimous and followed detailed legal argument, documentary evidence, witness testimony and careful deliberation by an experienced independent panel.

“At no stage was any issue raised by either party regarding my independence or suitability to sit on the commission. Had there been any legitimate basis for concern, the appropriate procedures existed for that to be addressed before the hearing proceeded.

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“Professional integrity in these proceedings is paramount. My role was to uphold the integrity of the competition and apply the regulations fairly, without fear or favour, and that is precisely what the commission did.”

A fan in Camouflage. Southampton have been expelled from the Championship play-offs (Image: Andrew Matthews/PA Wire)

The EFL has also been approached for comment.

The commission found Southampton head coach Tonda Eckert had authorised the spying mission at Boro, and earlier visits to training sessions held by Oxford United and Ipswich Town.

Winnie, the partner and head of sports at Gilson Gray LLP, acknowledged that the commission’s decision would have “serious ramifications” across football, but added: “The commission’s duty was not to consider popularity, reputation or consequence in isolation, but to uphold the integrity of the competition and apply the regulations fairly, independently and without fear or favour.

“The commission unanimously concluded that the conduct in question represented a deliberate and organised attempt to obtain a competitive advantage in breach of fundamental principles of sporting integrity and good faith.

“Football depends upon public trust. Supporters, clubs, players and stakeholders must have confidence that competitions are conducted on a level playing field.

“This outcome reflects the seriousness with which the commission viewed repeated breaches of the regulations, particularly within the context of one of the most financially and competitively significant competitions in English football. The message is clear: cheating, in any form, has no place in the game and will not be tolerated.”