Three Oxford United players who could leave this summer

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.