Championship clubs interested in Oxford United defender Brodie Spencer

Aaron Ramsey’s U’s are keen to keep hold of their current playing squad after being hit with a temporary registration embargo earlier this month for failing to comply with the EFL’s Squad Cost Management Protocol (SCMP) regulations.

This has not stopped clubs elsewhere from being interested in Oxford’s talent, with Championship clubs reportedly circling not only Spencer but Stan Mills and Brian De Keersmaecker as well.

Brodie Spencer of Oxford United (Image: Jason Dawson)

Mills began his pre-season campaign on Saturday’s 2-1 win over Barnet, where he scored the opener, after missing the first friendly, a 3-1 victory against Aldershot Town.

Belgian midfielder De Keersmaecker has missed both games due to illness, the club have said.

Meanwhile, Spencer has played in both fixtures, coming on to play the final half an hour against the Shots before starting and featuring for 60 minutes at Barnet.

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The Northern Ireland international was particularly impressive at The Hive, putting in numerous last-ditch tackles to stop some huge chances for the Bees.

According to Football League World, the 22-year-old has drawn attention from West Brom and QPR with the boardrooms of both respective club interested in recruiting the young full back.

Spencer featured 29 times in the Championship for the Yellows last season, scoring once in a 2-2 draw away at Portsmouth on Easter Monday.

He arrived in OX4 a year ago from Huddersfield Town, signing a long-term deal with United.

With the former Terriers defender seemingly with a while left on his contract, coupled with the fact that the U’s are prohibited from replacing Spencer this summer, it would be a tough task to convince the club to part ways with the right back.

Oxford currently only have two more senior right backs on the books in Peter Kioso, who spent last season on loan at Peterborough United, and Sam Long, who has consistently played at centre back in pre-season.

Northern Ireland’s Brodie Spencer (left) and Italy’s Matteo Politano battle for the ball (Image: Mike Egerton/PA Wire)

Spencer was largely the first-choice right back for United last season, when available, under both Gary Rowett and Matt Bloomfield whilst also featuring at left back on occasion.

He is also an experienced international at a young age with 23 caps for the Green and White Army already.

The tough-tackling full back has impressed against elite nations in both Kylian Mbappe’s France and four-time World Cup winners Italy prior to this summer’s FIFA World Cup.