Oxford United's Transformative Window
Let's grade all of United's summer business...
Last week I suggested in an X post that the 2024 summer transfer window was the best in the club’s history.
Judging by the response, it looks like a lot of Yellows share this view!
A total of 16 new arrivals marked a truly transformative summer, with head of football operations Ed Waldron praised for what was surely a mammoth effort behind the scenes.
But following the almost weekly dopamine hits of new signing announcements and shipping container pics, it’s time to look back and assess what we’ve ended up with.
I’ll grade all of Oxford’s incomings from D to A*, based on how they meet a few basic criteria.
As Grant Ferguson said back in May, “I don’t think we’re looking for a marquee signing. We’re looking for a number of very, very good signings.
“We need a combination of experience that will then leverage against young, high-quality players. What we’ll do is go for the very best young players and take them with us on the journey.”
So I’ll be judging signings on how they fit these two profiles, as well as how they raise the technical and athletic level of the squad, while value for money will also be considered.
GK - Jamie Cumming - Free - A
I had no complaints when this was announced.
Some heroic moments in the play-offs last season secured his place in many of our hearts.
He’s already shown that shot stopping ability this season too.
Probably worse with his feet than Beadle was, but certainly good enough for this level.
He’s just turned 25, which is no age, knows the squad and coaches and arrived for nothing.
Low risk, a proven asset, good age - its an easy A from me.
GK - Matt Ingram - Undisclosed - B
An experienced Championship keeper who was number one for about three years at Hull.
At 30, his age isn’t a problem and he’ll provide stiff competition for Cumming.
We don’t know the fee though, and spending cash on a player who likely won’t play isn’t ideal.
But this ticks the box for Championship experience and raises our technical level.
I’ll give it a B for now.
GK - Jacob Knightbridge - Free - C
This was an early window move which is easily forgotten about, but it could be a shrewd one.
We’ve loaned him straight out to Braintree, which is surely the right call.
20-years-old, free, could be nothing, could be everything - It’s a C, there’s no risk to this deal.
RB - Peter Kioso - £700k - B
Kioso is an athletic player who raises the physical and technical level of the side.
He does things that Sam Long and even Ter Avest can’t do, but he’s never played over 16 games in a Championship season.
For me, he’s actually got a fair amount to prove to justify the fee, but I’ll back him to do it.
He’s versatile, only 25 and fits the criteria - for now it’s a B
RB - Hidde ter Avest - Free - A
An A might seem a bit much for a newcomer to the league.
He’s 27 too and will be on a decent wage.
But for me this was one of the most exciting deals of the summer.
A very highly fancied youth prospect, he went on to spend three years in Serie A, before playing a major role for Utrecht for the last four.
This is a player of serious quality who could be one of the better right-backs in this division in my view.
Wins his duels, powerful, consistent, very tidy on the ball, one hell of a cross - this is an A and I’m standing by it!
CB - Ben Nelson - Loan - C
Centre back is a position where we needed depth.
He of course gives us this and probably won’t be challenging Elliott Moore at any point.
But Nelson is a very well liked prospect by Leicester fans.
He had a bit of experience in L2, and looked great in a handful of outings for the Foxes last year.
Easy deal, good depth, no big cost - this is a simple C
LB - Jack Currie - £450k - B
I took a look at Currie in depth when we signed him and really liked what I saw.
Lots of experience for a 22-year-old, great going forward.
He was one of the best prospects below the Championship, plain and simple.
He’s gone out on loan to L1 Orient, which is far better than warming the bench.
Securing the asset now was the right move, I’ll back him to be a big player down the line - it’s a B
CDM - Will Vaulks - Free - A
I was really pleased with this at the time. I still am.
This is a huge double tick in the experience box, over 220 appearances in this league is perfect.
He raises the physical and technical level of the team, adds leadership to the squad, a Welsh international with great durability, all on a free!
I think he’ll prove to be a vital pickup - This get’s an A*
CM - Idris El Mizouni - £400k - A
Think we were all delighted with this, weren't we?
Just a few games into the season and there are already calls for him to start.
El Miz could go on to play at any level he wants.
Only 23, over 80 appearances in the last two years, fantastic on the ball and a good engine off it.
Des spoke about his “strong attributes that will allow us to play in different ways”, which we’ve already seen glimpses of.
Dynamic, young, raises the technical level - this is an A.
CM - Louie Sibley - Free - B
I also wrote about Sibley when he joined and again, I was impressed.
Still somehow only 22, despite years of experience at Derby.
He’s not a starter for us, but like El Miz, offers a profile which we didn’t have before.
He’s versatile, creative, intense and a free transfer - a high quality depth option and a solid B
AM - Marselino Ferdinan - Free - B
Right then… Indonesia, please don’t hate me!
Would we have signed him if we had different ownership? Of course not.
Does that mean he’s just a token signing? Not necessarily.
Truth is, this is a really talented player.
The Indonesian FA (and their chairman, Erick Thohir) have placed a lot of faith in Marselino’s talent.
Early call ups to the national team helped to boost his profile (he debuted for the U17s at 14).
But he’s not just an “industry plant” in that sense.
He featured on The Guardian’s Next Gen list in 2021 and set the domestic league alight at just 16-years-old.
Will he play a significant role this season? Sadly, probably not. But this IS a serious young prospect!
The commercial impact of his arrival has already been huge, so on a free transfer there’s no real downside - its a fun transfer and I’ll give it a B for our new Indonesian fans! Halo teman teman!
RW - Matt Phillips - Free - B
This isn’t one of the flashy young signings of the summer, but it’s probably one of the most important.
A quality footballer, physically very capable, if not as quick as he used to be.
283 Championship appearances, 142 in the Premier League, 16 caps for Scotland.
This experience is on a different stratosphere to what we began the summer with and isn’t easy to come by.
Like Vaulks, this was an important profile to add - simple and cheap deal too, its a B
RW - Malcolm Ebiowei - Loan - C
A C might seem a bit harsh for a loan player, and yes, he adds cheap depth.
He’s also left-footed and has the pace to rival any full-back, something we badly needed to add.
But for me, he has a lot to prove.
His season at Derby two years ago showed glimpses, but his spell at Hull never really got going.
A loan to Molenbeek saw only five appearances, so we have very little to go off.
The profile is one we had to add. Whether he’s good enough to challenge for a start is yet to be seen - it’s a C for now.
LW - Przemyslaw Placheta - Free - B
The Pole was highly rated when Norwich picked him up in 2020 to the tune of £3m.
He’s not exactly lived up to the billing, to be frank.
Low productivity in his first season led to fewer minutes in the next, and his ten games at Swansea weren’t anything special.
What he does have though, is pace, lots of it.
We’ve already seen this on display, against his former club no less!
We badly needed some serious speed, now we’ll be relying a bit more on quick breaks to create chances.
It’s a B for that reason - free, capable at the level and hopefully more to come.
LW - Siriki Dembélé - Undisclosed - A
We saw against Preston, a glimpse of what this lad brings to the table.
Quick, direct, highly skilful, he tore it up for years with Posh and I’m surprised he stayed there so long.
With six goals as a starter in a really bad Birmingham team last year, I think there’s plenty of output to come from him.
There’s been talk of the deal being worth over £1m, which is certainly a statement of intent.
He’s 27, so not the youngest, but instantly becomes one of our most talented players - this gets an A*, a really exciting transfer.
LW - Kyle Edwards - Free - B
This is a strange one, as he never really left!
A smart move from the club to let him rehabilitate with us. I’m pleased for him that he’s earned a contract.
We’re familiar with his game, always looked threatening in what were surprisingly just six appearances for us.
Either way, a solid bench option with 32 Championship appearances under his belt, totally free - I’ll give it a B
ST - Dane Scarlett - Loan - C
Did any of our signings come with as much external chatter as this one?
Truth is, he’s a seriously talented player, that’s why he’s literally just been called up to the England U20s squad.
But at 20-years-old, he’s had quite a lot of exposure at such a young age.
34 games for Pompey saw just four goals, but he WAS only 18.
His Ipswich spell last year yielded nothing of note, but this is a serious prospect.
Des Buckingham is an outstanding coach who has successfully “rehabilitated” multiple players in his time with us.
We could prove the perfect environment for Dane to push on, but as it stands, he won’t be challenging Mark Harris, and that’s a bit of a worry - it’s a C, plenty to prove.
And that’s it! 16 new signings, plus Edwards.
A handful of players left the club, of which only Josh Murphy caused any real heartache, but I think we’ve replaced him well enough.
McGuane would have been a bench option at best and we had to sell now or risk losing him for free.
So what’s the overall grade?
We have at least two solid options in all positions.
We’ve raised the technical and physical level of the squad.
We’ve added plenty of Championship experience.
A majority of signings have been young, with high potential and resale value.
Most deals were for little to no transfer fee.
But, it’s up front where most people were left with concerns.
If Harris goes down injured, or hits a dry patch like last season, we lack proven options to rotate with him.
I also expected an upgrade at centre-back, but Moore and Brown didn’t look out of place there so it’s of lesser concern.
Overall grade - A
This window raised the level of the whole squad, from the quality of the starting XI to the standard of our depth.
It hit all of the criteria at minimal cost, but we spent big where it was needed.
A wide range of profiles and plenty of young talent who will hold or grow their value.
Another proven striker, and it gets an A* in my view.
That’s a wrap!
Let me know which grades you disagree with and how you rank the window.
All feedback and comments appreciated, lets continue the discussion!
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Thanks for reading!