Brannagan out: 2 deals Oxford United can be expected to make before the EFL kick-off on August 9th | OneFootball

FLW looks at two transfers that may happen at the Kassam Stadium in the next three weeks

Highlights

Oxford United face an uphill battle in the upcoming campaign to survive in the Championship at the first time of asking.

The U's will need to be shrewd in the transfer market to shape their squad before the season starts and then the window slams shut, as they return to the second-tier for the first time since 1998/99 following their play-off final win over Bolton Wanderers in May.

Des Buckingham has seen numerous players leave his squad in the close season, with the likes of James Henry, Billy Bodin and play-off final brace scorer Josh Murphy all departing the club upon the expiry of their contracts, while Marcus McGuane, Joe Bennett and Josh McEachran have all extended their stays at the Kassam Stadium for another year.

The club has been active in adding reinforcements to their squad too, with Peter Kioso, Idris El Mizouni, Louie Sibley, Przemyslaw Placheta, Jamie Cumming and Will Vaulks arriving in Oxfordshire from Rotherham United, Ipswich Town, Derby County, Swansea City, Chelsea and Sheffield Wednesday respectively, among other signings.

There is set to be even more activity in the transfer market in the coming weeks, and with that said, these are two deals, one incoming and one outgoing, that we believe the club can be expected to make before the U's take on Norwich City on the opening weekend of the Championship season.

Out: Cameron Brannagan

Cameron Brannagan could be on the move from Oxford this summer, in turn potentially bringing an end to his six-year stay at the Kassam Stadium, in which he has become a modern-day legend at the club.

The 28-year-old has been a key asset to the club in recent years, and is now being targeted by both West Brom and Blackburn Rovers ahead of the new season, according to journalist Pete O'Rourke.

Brannagan has just one year left on his current U's contract, so the club may look to sell him this summer in order to command a fee before he can possibly leave on a free transfer from January onwards.

He has made 290 appearances for Oxford since his arrival from Liverpool in 2018, and has built a reputation in the lower leagues for being a classy midfield operator with an eye for long-range goals and an impressive set-piece technique.

Regardless of his contract situation, it seems unlikely that the U's will want to let him go this summer as they return to the second-tier, so their possible price tag may put interested sides off in the coming weeks, but the promise of a better contract offer and the chance to play in a team pushing for the top half would surely be of interest to Brannagan, so it is certainly one to keep an eye on.

In: Marc Leonard

Brighton youngster Marc Leonard is a man in demand this summer, but Oxford hold a certain advantage over every other club linked to him so far.

The 22-year-old is coming off the back of two successful seasons at Northampton Town, where he helped the Cobblers to promotion to League One in 2022/23 and then kicked on even further last campaign as he won their Player of the Year award for his impressive performances in the third-tier.

The Athletic revealed in June that Oxford have held talks with Brighton over a potential deal, and the Seagulls are open to selling him in the coming months, but the U's face stiff competition from Birmingham City, Wrexham, Huddersfield Town, Barnsley and MLS outfit Vancouver Whitecaps.

While Oxford may not possess the financial power of some of those teams, they can offer Championship football to Leonard ahead of the new season, unlike everyone else.

That puts the club in a good position if they wish to pursue his signature, given he has already shone in the third-tier and so it would make little sense for him to stay there for another year.

The Daily Record has previously claimed that the U’s are prepared to meet Brighton’s six-figure asking price for the Scottish youth international, and he would certainly be a huge boost to their midfield ranks in their battle to stay in the second-tier in 2024/25.