The story of Oxford United’s season so far has been a defensive one.
Manager Karl Robinson lost his best defensive outlet last summer in Rob Dickie. He joined Queens Park Rangers and has been flying ever since, but Oxford spent their summer income on the attacking department.
Now with his side sitting in the relegation zone, having conceded 17 in nine League One games, Robinson might be ruing his decision not to sign a central defender.
But here we take a look at three free agents that Robinson could sign in the coming days and weeks, to bolster his defence and get back into play-off contention:
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Adrian Mariappa
The ex-Watford man has been linked with Bristol City this week. Now 34-years-old, he’s a player with plenty of experience at the highest-level of English football, and is still without a club since his summer release by Watford.
Ashton Gate sounds like an attractive option for Mariappa, but his role will likely be a back-up one. He could walk straight into this Oxford line-up and continue playing first-team football, but Robinson would have to move fast to beat the Robins to this one.
Ashley Williams
Another player with huge experience – in Europe and on the international stage – the 36-year-old Williams has stated that he has no retirement plans just yet.
At Bristol City last season he proved a rock in the first-half of the campaign. He managed to break into the starting line-up and enjoyed a prosperous half-season, before dropping well out of contention in the second.
A short-term deal could work for Williams and Oxford, but Williams would likely have to take a pay cut to join the Us.
Lloyd Jones
A former Liverpool academy graduate, things haven’t quite panned out as Jones would’ve been hoping – he was released by Luton Town last summer and is still without a club.
Having spent the second-half of last season on loan at Northampton Town, the 25-year-old Jones is in search of a permanent home after some years of loan spells, and Oxford could be the ideal place to start fulfilling his potential.
Likely a more financially feasible offer than the two mentioned above, but one that would hold more risk for Robinson.
