Matt Bloomfield’s U’s will play in League One after suffering relegation with two games to go, finally ending the season with a 2-0 defeat at Millwall last weekend.

Business has already begun amongst the United hierarchy with head of recruitment Scott Mitchell reportedly on his way to Premier League side Newcastle United.

Mitchell has been at Oxford since late 2024 and is set to move to the Magpies to join their recruitment team.

In terms of the playing squad, rumours started to emerge before the culmination of the season.

Reports emerged over a week ago that The Yellows are in the running to sign Senegalese striker Bamba Dieng from French club Lorient.

The 26-year-old is available on a free transfer this summer and has scored an impressive 15 goals in 24 matches in all competitions for the French side.

According to reporter Pete O’Rourke , Oxford are alongside Blackburn Rovers, Leicester City, Portsmouth, and German club St Pauli in the race to secure Dieng’s signature.

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The U’s relegation to League One may dent their hopes, however, as they face competition from higher-placed clubs.

A rumour slightly closer to home has linked Aston Villa youngster Tommi O’Reilly with a move to OX4.

(Image: Cody Froggatt/PA Wire)

The 22-year-old has stood out for League Two side Crewe Alexandra on loan this season, scoring seven goal and managing 11 assists as an attacking midfielder.

Journalist Alan Nixon says that O’Reilly is set for talks with Pompey and Oxford in the coming weeks.

Villa have reportedly asked for around £1 million for the Englishman.

Looking abroad once more, United are reportedly amongst a host of club interested in Curacao international Tyrese Noslin.

𝐄𝐱𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞: Barnsley and Oxford United are among a host of clubs interested in signing Tyrese Noslin (23) from Eredivisie side Telstar 🇨🇼

The defender has made more than 30 appearances so far this season in the Dutch top flight 📈#BarnsleyFC | #OUFC pic.twitter.com/iZwEXcxR3Z

— eflpublished (@eflpublished) May 1, 2026

Noslin plays in The Netherlands for Eredivisie side Telstar and most commonly plays as a right wing back for his club.

The 23-year-old can also play in the right wing and right back positions.

(Image: Jason Dawson)

League One side Barnsley are also competing for his signature, according to eflpublished .

Noslin has scored once and assisted twice in 32 league appearances this season.

U’s winger Przemyslaw Placheta, who is out of contract this summer, is reportedly keen on a move to the United States with Major League Soccer outfit Austin FC.

Polish news outlets have reported that talks are in their final stages as the 28-year-old looks set to move abroad soon.

Tottenham Hotspur loanee has returned to his parent club from Oxford, alongside teammate Will Lankshear, but his option to buy remains intact despite it being unlikely that The U’s will pull the trigger following their Championship relegation.

Lankshear finished off a superb loan spell at relegated Oxford with a 47th appearance for the Championship side in Saturday’s 2-0 loss at Millwall.

While the 21-year-old was unable to keep Oxford up, the England Under-21 striker scored 12 goals and provided four assists during a successful season-long loan to catch the eye of numerous clubs in England and abroad, the Press Association understands.

Oxford United striker Will Lankshear on loan from Spurs (Image: Jason Dawson)

Former Arsenal youngster Lankshear is due to return to Hotspur Way for end-of-season testing before a well-earned rest.

Any decision on Lankshear’s long-term future at Tottenham will not take place until there is clarity over which division the club will be in for the 2026-27 campaign, but there is optimism about his prospects under Roberto De Zerbi, PA understands.

Antonio Conte was the first Tottenham head coach to work with Lankshear after his arrival from Sheffield United in 2022 and gave him a debut in a friendly fixture with Nice after the winter World Cup.

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However, Ange Postecoglou presented Lankshear with his breakthrough during the 2024-25 campaign and the all-action forward scored on an eventful night against Galatasaray in the Europa League where he silenced the Rams Park crowd before he earned an unfortunate second yellow card.

New Oxford United chairman Dusan Bogdanovic pictured here with U’s owner Erick Thohir and FIFA president Gianni Infantino in December 2024. 🤝

(via @dusan.ph on Instagram) #oufc 🟡https://t.co/hnkQLRsx5e pic.twitter.com/1Rylrf07Lu

— malachi (@MalachiObrey) May 6, 2026

Lankshear then scored the first goal of the ill-fated Thomas Frank era at Spurs last July in a friendly at Reading before he was sent on loan to Oxford despite other Championship options.

A run of three goals in his first five matches quickly endeared Lankshear to the Oxford faithful alongside his wholehearted displays, but Gary Rowett was dismissed by the U’s in December.

Will Lankshear celebrates scoring for Oxford United (Image: Jason Dawson)

Middlesbrough were one of several clubs eager to sign Lankshear in January, but the forward wanted to stay at Oxford to help in their relegation battle and quickly gained the trust of Matt Bloomfield.

After Lankshear produced a stunning brace against Sheffield Wednesday last month, Bloomfield said: “His finishing, dedication to his craft and single-minded desire to be the best he can be, I think he’s a credit to himself. There’s so much to admire about him and he’s going to go to the top.”

Lankshear has often drawn comparisons to Tottenham’s all-time leading scorer Harry Kane given his predatory finishing ability along with a similar route into the professional game after being rejected by Arsenal.

After Lankshear this season bettered Kane’s own goalscoring tally from Championship loans with Millwall and Leicester, the young forward will wait to discover whether he gets a chance at Spurs or if another summer move away will follow.

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