Oxford United plotting move to sign Ajax player | OneFootball

The U’s are believed to have made an approach to sign Ajax midfielder Benjamin Tahirovic, but face competition from Serie A clubs.

Oxford United have made an approach to sign Ajax midfielder Benjamin Tahirovic, according to Dutch news outlet De Telegraff.

The U’s have seen an uptake in form since Gary Rowett replaced Des Buckingham, with the side yet to taste defeat under the 50-year-old.

This leaves the club in 14th position, taking 35 points from 28 second tier outings, with a possible late charge for the top six on the cards.

Aiming to clear themselves further away from the relegation trap door and look upwards, Oxford are keen to bolster the squad with new additions before the January transfer window draws to a close.

With plenty of players being linked with a move to the Kassam Stadium, new reports have emerged in Holland, detailing Oxford’s interest to strengthen their midfield.

Oxford United linked with Benjamin Tahirovic move

As per De Telegraaf, Oxford United are interested in a switch for 21-year-old Ajax man Benjamin Tahirovic, and have made an approach to sign the midfielder.

The Bosnia and Herzegovina international is rated highly by the U’s, but the Championship outfit face strong competition from Serie A sides Torino and Udinese for his signature.

The report states Tahirovic is down the pecking order at Ajax, and the Dutch giants are keen to see him move on to a new challenge come the end of the transfer window.

It is not revealed whether a move would be permanent or on loan, but the youngster’s contract at Ajax doesn’t run down until 2028, with that detail pointing towards a move being the latter.

It’s an ambitious target for Oxford to identify, with Tahirovic possessing some impressive experience in Europe over the last couple of seasons.

Originally emerging in Sweden, he made a move to Italy with Roma, featuring 13 times before moving to the Netherlands with Ajax around 18 months ago.

Tahirovic has managed to play 39 times so far in Amsterdam, registering two goals and five assists in a defensive midfield role, but looks set to make another move with opportunities limited under boss Francesco Farioli.

There’s no doubt that if Oxford could fend off interest from Italy, a move for Benjamin Tahirovic would be a statement of intent.

Despite being well stocked in midfield, the 21-year-old would have the most high-profile pedigree of any other option, and at such a young age, he has the potential to be a wonderful asset to the club for the remainder of this season at least.

With such a platform to develop and become a standout talent in the game, Oxford will have to take this opportunity if a move is possible, with such a marquee signing likely to bolster a push towards the play-off places.