Oxford United finished their pre-season tour of Indonesia this week which ended in defeat in the President’s Cup final.
Elsewhere, there has been further movement in the squad with Will Goodwin leaving on loan while Brodie Spencer became the club’s second signing of the summer.
Read More: Northern Ireland International Brodie Spencer Joins the U’s
Oxford United Weekly Round-Up: Cup Final Defeat, Striker Departure and Defensive Arrival
Goodwin Joins Colchester on Loan
On Wednesday, Oxford confirmed that striker Will Goodwin had joined League Two side Colchester on a season-long loan.
The 23-year-old, who joined the U’s from Cheltenham in January 2024, has been limited to a few appearances, turning out just 11 times.
Injuries have hampered his game time, as was the case last season when he joined Wigan on loan but featured on just eight occasions.
Oxford face the League Two side in the first round of the Carabao Cup but the striker won’t be able to feature at Grenoble Road.
‘We Think We Can Strengthen’
U’s boss, Gary Rowett, is still looking to add in the midfield area during the summer transfer window.
Oxford have seen the arrival of Belgian midfielder Brian De Keersmaecker but have lost Idris El Mizouni and Ruben Rodrigues to Leyton Orient and Brazilian top-flight side EC Vitoria.
Speaking to the Oxford Mail, Rowett said: “It’s a sign there are areas we want to try and strengthen for different reasons.
“If you look at Ruben, he was very keen with the opportunity that he had to go and explore that option.
“I think that when a player does that, and you’re perhaps looking to strengthen in that area anyway, it only feels fair to allow that to happen.
“Idris was slightly different. He obviously hadn’t had the season that he wanted and again, you have to allow a young player to go and get his career back going again.
“It’s not fair to do anything other than that, and we know he’s a talented player, and so is Ruben.
“We think we can strengthen in different ways and in different areas, and whether we bring another midfielder in or whether we have someone at the club who we think can be that player, we’ve got young JJ [Josh Johnson], who’s been with us and has looked very good, and you’ve got one or two others, so we’re excited to see what we do next.”
Oxford United Progress to Cup Final
Rowett’s side then progressed to the final of the Piala Presiden with a 4-0 win over Indonesian side, Arema FC.
First-half goals from Przemyslaw Placheta, Ole Romeny and Leo Snowden put the U’s in control in Bandung.
Gatlin O’Donkor added a fourth after the break, and it was a disciplined display from Oxford.
It was a physical game, with Romeny being forced off with injury after just 17 minutes.
The U’s would face Thai side Port FC in the final on Sunday.
U’s Sign Huddersfield Defender
On Thursday, Oxford United made their second signing of the summer with the arrival of Northern Ireland defender, Brodie Spencer.
The 21-year-old joined the U’s from Huddersfield for an undisclosed fee.
Spencer, who had one year left on his previous deal with the Terriers, is regarded as a highly-rated defender.
The 21-year-old has been capped 17 times for Northern Ireland, where he has played with Oxford defender, Ciaron Brown.
Speaking to the club after putting pen to paper, he said: “I’m really excited to be joining Oxford United. I’ve seen the club progress over the last few years and from the outside I only see positive things.
“When the interest came in, it was a deal that I wanted to happen because of everything I had seen and heard. Once I had a number of conversations with people inside the club, my decision was made.
“I’ve had a taste of the Championship and it’s the place I want to be to showcase my level as a player. There was a lot of interest from clubs in the division, but I’m confident this is the right place for me now and in the future.
“I can’t wait to get started with the boys when they get back from Indonesia and show the fans what I can do.”
Head coach, Gary Rowett, said: “Brodie is a very exciting signing for the club. We are getting an experienced player at a good age, and one that we know can perform at this level.
“We want to sign players who will make an immediate impact on our team, and we feel Brodie will do exactly that.
“His versatility is a real strength of his as he can play across the defensive line. He has mainly operated as a full-back, but he also gives us a number of quality options throughout the team which will be a terrific boost.”
Oxford Lose President’s Cup Final
Oxford’s final pre-season game in Indonesia ended in defeat with a 2-1 defeat against Port FC.
Mark Harris gave the U’s an early lead but the Thai side levelled just before the break.
Oxford fell behind just minutes after the restart before Port FC were reduced to ten men. Then, a torrential downpour halted the game for a significant amount of time.
The fixture did get going again but Oxford were unable to get themselves back into it, despite the man advantage.
