Oxford united FC
Four former Oxford United players join PFA free agent camp
The camp is part of a fully funded, structured pre-season programme offered by the PFA for out-of-contract players.
It aims to keep them fit, visible to clubs, and supported off the pitch while they search for a new deal.
The four Oxford players included in week three of the PFA pre-season, which involves 45 players in total, are Billy Bodin, Marvin Johnson, Kane Hemmings, and Jordan Graham.
The PFA runs these residential summer pre-season camps specifically for free agents who were on professional contracts in the previous season, providing a “club-style” environment for those unattached.
These camps mirror a typical club pre-season, with daily on-pitch sessions, strength and conditioning work, recovery, and friendly matches against EFL and academy sides, all at no cost to the player.
The programme has been expanded to around 10–12 weeks over the summer, with roughly 30–40 players per week, and has helped hundreds of free agents secure new deals after being scouted at camp.
Bodin signed for Oxford United on June 30, 2021, as a free agent on a one-year contract.
In his first season, in which Oxford narrowly missed out on a play-off place, he scored six times in the league and once in the FA Cup.
He expressed his wish to sign a new contract at the end of the season, and in June 2022 signed a new two-year deal.
After winning promotion to the Championship with Oxford, Bodin announced he would leave the club at the end of the 2023–24 season when his contract expired.
He last played for U’s rivals Swindon Town last season.
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Marvin Johnson signed for Oxford United on August 31, 2016, for an undisclosed sum, which according to the Oxford Mail was believed to be a club record fee at the time, in the region of £650,000.
He played in the final of the EFL Trophy at Wembley Stadium, which ended in a 2–1 defeat to Coventry City.
Kane Hemmings signed for Oxford United on July 27, 2016, for an undisclosed six-figure fee, believed to be in the region of £250,000, agreeing a three-year contract with the club.
On 22 August 2017 he joined Mansfield Town on a season-long loan and at the end of the season he moved to Notts County for an undisclosed fee.
Jordan Graham joined Oxford United of League Two in September 2015 on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The PFA camps function deliberately as a “shop window,” with arranged friendlies and free‑agent XIs facing different clubs.
The Foxes sign the former Tractor Boys man on a free transfer after being released by Ipswich at the end of last season.
Chaplin had been in Suffolk for five years but spent last season on loan at former club and boyhood side Portsmouth.
The 29-year-old scored two goals on the south coast as Portsmouth survived comfortably in the Championship and joins a Leicester side who have suffered back-to-back relegation from the Premier League and second tier.
Only four seasons ago, the attacking midfielder was League One’s top scorer with Ipswich, bagging 26 goals as the club were promoted.
He scored the third goal against Karl Robinson’s Oxford that season as Ipswich beat United 3-0 at Portman Road.
Chaplin joins the Foxes on a three-year deal under new manager Russell Martin.
The signing comes a month after SportsBoom had reported interest in the Englishman from Oxford.
Since then, the U’s have changed head coaches, with ex-Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey taking over from Matt Bloomfield, and have been hit with a temporary transfer embargo restricting them from registering any new players.
Upon joining the east midlands outfit, Chaplin told the club website: “I’m very excited to be here.
“Leicester City is a massive club with a brilliant fanbase, which has been obvious to me every time I’ve competed against them.
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“I’m extremely grateful to be given the opportunity to play for this great club, and I will give everything, every day, to achieve what we set out to. I’ve had some great experiences in my career so far, but there is a lot more I want to achieve.
“I like to play with an all-in attitude, energy, and a desire to help the team in any way I can. I’m looking forward to showing the supporters what I can bring. I can’t wait to meet the lads, get out on the training pitch with the manager and his staff to help this team as much as I can.”
Chaplin began his career at Pompey in before joining Coventry City on loan for the 2018/19 season.
That move was made permanent in the January before a summer move to Barnsley where he spent two years.
Ipswich came calling in 2021 where he helped the club to back-to-back promotions from League One to the Premier League.
Chaplin follows former Southampton and England goalkeeper Alex McCarthy to the club after the experienced shot-stopper arrived at the King Power Stadium on Thursday.
This comes after Leeds were denied automatic promotion in 2023/24 when the Foxes were found to have broken financial rules.
Leicester won the Championship title that season, two places above Leeds, who lost in the play-off final.
Leicester, along with Oxford, were relegated from the Championship last season.
Sources with knowledge of the situation told The Athletic that Leeds took action after Burnley’s recent legal victory over Everton.
Burnley were awarded £35 million after Everton’s breach of profitability and sustainability rules in 2021/22.
A statement of claim outlines the reasons for legal action and Leeds have detailed specific losses.
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They also want an assessment of damages due to Leicester’s breach.
As things stand, the hearing will not take place until next summer.
Leeds are apparently likely to argue they would have been automatically promoted in 2023/24 if Leicester had adhered to the rules.
Leicester were given a six-point penalty in the Championship last season as a punishment for breaching spending rules in that title-winning 2023/24 campaign under now-Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca.
The former Arsenal and Premier League icon has been in charge of the U’s for almost four weeks after taking over from Matt Bloomfield.
United are currently in Spain for a warm-weather training camp ahead of the 2026/27 League One season.
Oxford were hit with the transfer ban last week meaning they are temporarily banned from registering any new players.
The club have stated that they will be in a strong position ahead of the January transfer window.
“I can empathise with the fans – the frustration and things in that situation and maybe not having that clarity – but from my perspective, nothing changes,” the former Wales international said.
“I’m really excited to work with this group of players. The way that I work and my staff work, I feel like there’s a lot of room for improvement as well.
“We’re fully committed to this. It’s just bringing everybody together to make sure we have a successful season, but also I’m calm and confident.
“I’m reassured that this situation will be resolved as quickly as possible.”
Ramsey also touched on the absences of winger Stan Mills and new signing Frankie Kent from the squad in Spain.
Kent has been confirmed to be out of action for a number of months after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury after only joining the club last month.
“We’re really gutted about Frankie’s situation,” the 35-year-old Yellows boss continued.
“He’s a really positive character, really excited to work with him, but sometimes these things happen in football, but we’re right behind him. We’ll stand by him through this difficult time and I’m sure he’ll be back before we know it.
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“Stan had an illness earlier on in the week, so the doc’s been monitoring that back at home.
“We feel like it’s best now that he gains a little bit of fitness back there, but I’m excited for him to re-join the group now on Monday.”
Ramsey added two new faces to his coaching staff recently in former Wales teammate Chris Gunter and ex-Cardiff City Under-18s lead coach Tom Hutton.
“I always knew [Gunter] was destined to go on and become a great coach as well.
“He understands it from the player’s perspective. He’s really detailed and has a great energy about him as well.
“The way he sees the game is exactly the way that I see the game.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to have been starting my coaching journey with the Cardiff 18s and seeing the way that [Hutton] works.
“I was blown away by his detail and the way that he sees the game and the way that he can transform that onto the grass.
“I think they’re great additions for us and so far, I think the boys have bought into them.”
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