Transfer Window January 2026 Post Transfer Window Thread

[Carpy]

 

[Fat bloke]

Just hope psr don't come into it next season as potentially lot of money spent for going down? Last thing we need is a points deduction?.

 

[SirAndyOfCrosby]

Just hope psr don't come into it next season as potentially lot of money spent for going down? Last thing we need is a points deduction?.

I really wouldn't worry.

Once we show the authorities exactly what and who we spent the money on, they will have no option but to concede that we enjoyed no competitive advantage whatsoever as a result.

 

[Ian]

McDonnell, Jin-Woo and MPH were a good signings. Let's hope Donley adds to those.

The others have a point to prove... Unable to get in into the teams of clubs in League One... Hardly someone performing to a level that's demanding a move to the Championship.

When teams like Hull can pick off our top targets, we are going to struggle...

Looking a the poll above, 63% of the people on this forum were very wrong a week ago. Hide in shame!


Perhaps playing 3-4-3 will revive us - although there is the issue of having sufficient CB's for the back three, but no fit RWB.

If we play three at the back, then where does Donley play?

If we play 4 at the back we have too many CB's

We've always struggled with 4-2-3-1 - it's like a cursed formation.

 

[carefreeoufc]

McDonnell, Jin-Woo and MPH were a good signings. Let's hope Donley adds to those.

The others have a point to prove... Unable to get in into the teams of clubs in League One... Hardly someone performing to a level that's demanding a move to the Championship.

When teams like Hull can pick off our top targets, we are going to struggle...

Looking a the poll above, 63% of the people on this forum were very wrong a week ago. Hide in shame!


Perhaps playing 3-4-3 will revive us - although there is the issue of having sufficient CB's for the back three, but no fit RWB.

If we play three at the back, then where does Donley play?

If we play 4 at the back we have too many CB's

We've always struggled with 4-2-3-1 - it's like a cursed formation.

I think Massoko and Roosken have both looked ok. Massoko in particular. Of course, that’s assuming he’s played in a position he’s familiar with.

 

[BrockBuster]

Look at the positive - a loyal servant who will undoubtedly be one of our best players in L1 next season - unless he really can't face having to work under Bloomfield much longer

I mean if we do go down, I kind of hope a half decent Championship club gives him a good crack at it at this level. He's given us a lot, so don't think he owes us another League One season.

 

[billyturleyscurlywurly]

Says a lot when Portsmouth are 5 points above us with 3 games in hand despite us spending a fortune more than them since promotion. Portsmouth who have stuck with their manager who got them promoted to this day.

I see Charlton went 9 clear of us tonight too with a game in hand too. A lot on here went in on their transfers this summer. Looks like backing the manager who got them up has paid off.

Pretty laughable when you consider the three football clubs around us are basket-cases in Sheffield Wednesday in administration, Blackburn run by the Venkys & Leicester who are one of the worst run clubs in the country.

 

[carefreeoufc]

Says a lot when Portsmouth are 5 points above us with 3 games in hand despite us spending a fortune more than them since promotion. Portsmouth who have stuck with their manager who got them promoted to this day.

I see Charlton went 9 clear of us tonight too with a game in hand too. A lot on here went in on their transfers this summer. Looks like backing the manager who got them up has paid off.

Pretty laughable when you consider the three football clubs around us are basket-cases in Sheffield Wednesday in administration, Blackburn run by the Venkys & Leicester who are one of the worst run clubs in the country.

We have a rich owner in Asia (great), a Chairman on the golf course a CEO with performance linked to match day activations, playing football in a three sided ground we don’t own.

We’ve got a DoF who was basically playing Championship Manager a few seasons ago and a new manager appointed from a team relegated from our division who is mates with our head of recruitment. At what point did you think we weren’t also a bit of a basket case.

Certainly when it comes to on the pitch.

 

[Foley]

Bloke is a middle of the road League One winger. People seem to forget that we were pretty f*****g awful for most of the promotion season, and in truth, haven’t been a top 4/5 side since we sold Fosu & Baptiste.

Er we came 5th
Can't be more of a top 5 side

 

[billyturleyscurlywurly]

We have a rich owner in Asia (great), a Chairman on the golf course a CEO with performance linked to match day activations, playing football in a three sided ground we don’t own.

We’ve got a DoF who was basically playing Championship Manager a few seasons ago and a new manager appointed from a team relegated from our division who is mates with our head of recruitment. At what point did you think we weren’t also a bit of a basket case.

Certainly when it comes to on the pitch.

Well when you put it like that….

 

[Some U's fan]

I’m quite baffled by the number of people still complaining that we didn’t bring in a striker. I thought just from watching his highlight reel that Jin Woo had been playing mostly right side of a two rather than on the wing last season, but if that wasn’t enough of a clue then surely the fact that his debut came playing up top with Mills right was the real giveaway, no?

Now, whether he scores a bucket load of goals in the championship is another matter, of course, but we clearly signed a forward!

 

[Steve Gilbert]

An interesting take.

I hope you put that point across to the leadership team at next months fan forum who I’m sure will argue that the recruitment team have been provided more funds than lots of clubs in our league.

What fans forum?

 

[Kamal]

One thing that does make me wonder is if we go down how many of these loan with an option to buy deals will we make permanent?

Donley has an option for £4.5m. Makosso has an option for £3m. Prelec for £1m (hopefully we don't trigger this). How much is the option for Rooksen?

That's potentially £8.5m being spent as a League One club even before we sign other players that we need!

 

[ECYellow]

One thing that does make me wonder is if we go down how many of these loan with an option to buy deals will we make permanent?

Donley has an option for £4.5m. Makosso has an option for £3m. Prelec for £1m (hopefully we don't trigger this). How much is the option for Rooksen?

That's potentially £8.5m being spent as a League One club even before we sign other players that we need!

Not a single one would be my hunch.

 

[tatabanya]

Says a lot when Portsmouth are 5 points above us with 3 games in hand despite us spending a fortune more than them since promotion. Portsmouth who have stuck with their manager who got them promoted to this day.

I see Charlton went 9 clear of us tonight too with a game in hand too. A lot on here went in on their transfers this summer. Looks like backing the manager who got them up has paid off.

Pretty laughable when you consider the three football clubs around us are basket-cases in Sheffield Wednesday in administration, Blackburn run by the Venkys & Leicester who are one of the worst run clubs in the country.

Spent a fortune more than them? Wage bill is higher, but they’ve bought far more players than us for fees, which amount to more than we’ve spent.

Portsmouth came up as a much better team with us, with a better squad and a better manager so it was an achievement to finish just a point behind them last season. They’re a well run club with a very good scouting network who are successfully punching above their weight given spend. Fair play to them, it’s a real shame we didn’t give the job to Mous when we had the chance, although no guarantee we’d be playing in the Championship if we had.

With Charlton, I agree that Des, Rowett and now Bloomfield’s job would have been much easier had they had £12m spent on the squad in two windows. That’s the kind of financial clout you need to be expected to compete, but beyond us at the moment.

 

[TailsWeWin]

One thing that does make me wonder is if we go down how many of these loan with an option to buy deals will we make permanent?

Donley has an option for £4.5m. Makosso has an option for £3m. Prelec for £1m (hopefully we don't trigger this). How much is the option for Rooksen?

That's potentially £8.5m being spent as a League One club even before we sign other players that we need!

None of them.
They won’t want to play in League One.

 

[holdsteady]

None of them.
They won’t want to play in League One.

I think all these deals were with staying up in mind, whether they want to stay or not will be irrelevant, we won't be buying them.

 

[billyturleyscurlywurly]

Spent a fortune more than them? Wage bill is higher, but they’ve bought far more players than us for fees, which amount to more than we’ve spent.

Portsmouth came up as a much better team with us, with a better squad and a better manager so it was an achievement to finish just a point behind them last season. They’re a well run club with a very good scouting network who are successfully punching above their weight given spend. Fair play to them, it’s a real shame we didn’t give the job to Mous when we had the chance, although no guarantee we’d be playing in the Championship if we had.

With Charlton, I agree that Des, Rowett and now Bloomfield’s job would have been much easier had they had £12m spent on the squad in two windows. That’s the kind of financial clout you need to be expected to compete, but beyond us at the moment.

Signings for fees since Wembley, we aren’t far off £12m!!! (That’s not including any loan fees paid for the 300 loan players signed & the deals the likes of Phillips, Vaulks probably picked up.

Romeny
Kioso
Currie
El Mizouni
Dembele
Helik
Ingram
Bradshaw
Mills
De Keersmaecker
McDonnell
Spencer
Jeon-Woo
Peart Harris
Emakhu

 

[werthersoriginal]

None of them.
They won’t want to play in League One.

Hopefully we wouldn't buy any of them and would let go as many players as we could and maybe sell a couple like Currie for fees, just keeping the core of Sam/Cam/Brown. We'd have the chance to start again with a new management team!

 

[billyturleyscurlywurly]

What fans forum?

Supposedly one is being held next month

 

[ECYellow]

I think all these deals were with staying up in mind, whether they want to stay or not will be irrelevant, we won't be buying them.

Which I think also begs the question, just how far will all of these loan players and MPH be willing to push themselves, if we get into March and the gap is even wider than it is now?

It’s quite easy to see a situation where they begin playing within themselves, knowing full well that they will not be here next year anyway.

Loans are great, but when the writing is on the wall it becomes quite easy to throw the towel in, when you know that you’ll not be a part of the wreckage next season anyway. Accountability will be lacking, one could expect.

 

[ECYellow]

Signings for fees since Wembley, we aren’t far off £12m!!! (That’s not including any loan fees paid for the 300 loan players signed & the deals the likes of Phillips, Vaulks probably picked up.

Romeny - miss
Kioso - miss
Currie - hit
El Mizouni - miss
Dembele - miss
Helik - hit
Ingram - miss
Bradshaw - miss
Mills - hit (just)
De Keersmaecker - hit
McDonnell - jury out
Spencer - miss
Jeon-Woo - jury out
Peart Harris - jury out
Emakhu - jury out

 

[tatabanya]

Signings for fees since Wembley, we aren’t far off £12m!!! (That’s not including any loan fees paid for the 300 loan players signed & the deals the likes of Phillips, Vaulks probably picked up.

Romeny
Kioso
Currie
El Mizouni
Dembele
Helik
Ingram
Bradshaw
Mills
De Keersmaecker
McDonnell
Spencer
Jeon-Woo
Peart Harris
Emakhu

We didn't pay a fee for MPH and Ingram was minimal. And if it's the recruitment team you want to take a pop at then Romeny belongs in a different conversation.

But spending £12m on six players for £2m or so a pop is very different to accumulating a few for under £1m over four windows. Dembele is clearly the worst of the significant outlays, who ironically is the one who was meant to bring proven ability at the level, but otherwise I'd argue that the more money they are given to spend the better the player we've brought in. Funnt that.

 

[Vancouver Yellow]

Which I think also begs the question, just how far will all of these loan players and MPH be willing to push themselves, if we get into March and the gap is even wider than it is now?

It’s quite easy to see a situation where they begin playing within themselves, knowing full well that they will not be here next year anyway.

Loans are great, but when the writing is on the wall it becomes quite easy to throw the towel in, when you know that you’ll not be a part of the wreckage next season anyway. Accountability will be lacking, one could expect.

100%. We’ve been far too reliant on loans since we got back into the championship, (particularly in attacking positions, like selling Ruben Rodrigues and replacing him with Luke Harris). We’ve been lucky to have players like Lankshear, Nelson and probably Matos who have given their all. But one does wonder what having a squad with 7/8 mercenaries does to the group morale, particularly in a relegation fight. It’s not a good look imo.

 

[ECYellow]

We didn't pay a fee for MPH and Ingram was minimal. And if it's the recruitment team you want to take a pop at then Romeny belongs in a different conversation.

But spending £12m on six players for £2m or so a pop is very different to accumulating a few for under £1m over four windows. Dembele is clearly the worst of the significant outlays, who ironically is the one who was meant to bring proven ability at the level, but otherwise I'd argue that the more money they are given to spend the better the player we've brought in. Funnt that.

You’re quite protective in your opinions over the recruitment team, which is strange considering their success rate would sit at significantly below 40% based on the 37 players signed to date in our Championship era, not to mention those that we’ve paid a fee for.

What is it that you think provides them with enough scope to continually get defended on their transfer activity?

 

[holdsteady]

Which I think also begs the question, just how far will all of these loan players and MPH be willing to push themselves, if we get into March and the gap is even wider than it is now?

It’s quite easy to see a situation where they begin playing within themselves, knowing full well that they will not be here next year anyway.

Loans are great, but when the writing is on the wall it becomes quite easy to throw the towel in, when you know that you’ll not be a part of the wreckage next season anyway. Accountability will be lacking, one could expect.

Its a fair point, you would hope a few would be professional about it and also see that doing well still benefits them.

Another worry would be that also applies to a decent amount of our squad who are out of contract, they will be elsewhere next season, but the same applies to them.

We will probably have to side line those who are not up for it, just hope its not to many, but if we can't at least keep it competitive its going to be a long end to the season.

 

[tatabanya]

You’re quite protective in your opinions over the recruitment team, which is strange considering their success rate would sit at significantly below 40% based on the 37 players signed to date in our Championship era, not to mention those that we’ve paid a fee for.

What is it that you think provides them with enough scope to continually get defended on their transfer activity?

Pretty simple really, Oxford don't get promoted and then stay up if the recruitment team are useless. I think those who want wholesale changes there might regret what comes next.

I also struggle to see why some expect it to be easy to bring in Championship players for next to nothing. I don't see why you'd expect a much higher than 40% success rate if you're a Championship club signing players on frees, loans and fees maxing out at roughly £2m. Championship players are worth more than that.

They've made some bad signings, but all teams do. They have left gaping holes in the squad at the end of windows and contract lengths has been an issue, but some of the criticism that comes their way just seems to ignore some important context.

 

[billyturleyscurlywurly]

We didn't pay a fee for MPH and Ingram was minimal. And if it's the recruitment team you want to take a pop at then Romeny belongs in a different conversation.

But spending £12m on six players for £2m or so a pop is very different to accumulating a few for under £1m over four windows. Dembele is clearly the worst of the significant outlays, who ironically is the one who was meant to bring proven ability at the level, but otherwise I'd argue that the more money they are given to spend the better the player we've brought in. Funnt that.

15 goals in 114 Championship games in his career. 1 in 10. Far from proven.

Context also needed that he came into a Des team as a replacement for Murphy.

We can dress it up how we want but the club did no where near enough to keep him considering he was Des’s main man.

 

[ECYellow]

Pretty simple really, Oxford don't get promoted and then stay up if the recruitment team are useless. I think those who want wholesale changes there might regret what comes next.

I also struggle to see why some expect it to be easy to bring in Championship players for next to nothing. I don't see why you'd expect a much higher than 40% success rate if you're a Championship club signing players on frees, loans and fees maxing out at roughly £2m. Championship players are worth more than that.

They've made some bad signings, but all teams do. They have left gaping holes in the squad at the end of windows and contract lengths has been an issue, but some of the criticism that comes their way just seems to ignore some important context.

Your last paragraph is quite telling and paints a pretty accurate picture of the performance of that particular department.

Gaping holes and players we cannot move on, resulting in more wastage on the balance sheet that we cannot reinvest elsewhere. Pretty damning.

 

[tatabanya]

Your last paragraph is quite telling and paints a pretty accurate picture of the performance of that particular department.

Gaping holes and players we cannot move on, resulting in more wastage on the balance sheet that we cannot reinvest elsewhere. Pretty damning.

The players we can't move on is a direct consequence of our spending power and the environment we are in. There is absolutely justification to criticise them and wouldn't say otherwise, but can you not also admit that they're being tasked to buy diamonds with shrapnel?

If we go down and the recruitment team stay in post my guess is that they'll be popular again this time next year.

 

[Berliner]

Which I think also begs the question, just how far will all of these loan players and MPH be willing to push themselves, if we get into March and the gap is even wider than it is now?

It’s quite easy to see a situation where they begin playing within themselves, knowing full well that they will not be here next year anyway.

Loans are great, but when the writing is on the wall it becomes quite easy to throw the towel in, when you know that you’ll not be a part of the wreckage next season anyway. Accountability will be lacking, one could expect.

And if this happens (God knows I hope it doesn't), then our first goal should be on stabilising in League 1. If there is bloodletting and we lose 15 players (depending on who leaves and who joins to replace them) then we could easily find ourselves being bombed through direction League 2.

This is not me being pessimistic, but rather realistic of what can happen when a team is dismantled.