Oxford United make move to sign ex-Ipswich Town player | OneFootball

Highlights

Oxford United have had an up and down time since the departure of former manager Liam Manning, and the arrival of Des Buckingham in his place.

The U's have won five, lost four, and drawn two in all competitions since Buckingham was appointed, and they have slipped from their previously held spot, in the automatic promotion spots, to fifth in the table, and five points behind second-placed Bolton Wanderers.

The club had a brilliant summer transfer window, and have a strong enough squad to at least maintain their current standing. But they're still looking to strengthen their squad, and they have gone back to the National League to look for some top talent.

Oxford United place bid for Chesterfield's Armando Dobra

Football Insider's Pete O'Rourke has said that the League One side have submitted a bid for Chesterfield winger Armando Dobra.

The 22-year-old former Ipswich Town and Colchester United player has currently scored six goals in 22 matches for the Spireites in the National League. His side sit seven points clear at the top of the Championship table, having played two games less than second-placed Bromley.

After coming through the youth setup at Portman Road, the Albanian winger got into their first team. Two seasons ago, he was sent out on loan to Colchester, and, in the summer of 2022, he agreed a permanent deal to join Chesterfield. In the 2022/23 campaign, the winger scored 12 goals in 34 matches to help his side reach the National League playoff final.

Oxford made a similar move in the summer when they signed attacking midfielder Ruben Rodrigues from National League playoff winners, Notts County. County faced Chesterfield in the playoff final, where Luke Williams' side beat Dobra's on penalties. Rodrigues has adapted very well to the third tier of English football. He's scored six goals, provided two assists, and is averaging a 7.23 Sofascore match rating.

The exact fee that Oxford have bid has not been revealed. Dobra is currently heading into the final six months of his current deal with the Spireites.

Oxford fans should be apprehensive about Dobra bid

It'd be understandable for fans of the U's to get excited about the prospect of another young National League player coming into their side and succeeding. But, as they will all be aware of, not every player is Ruben Rodrigues. As an attacking midfielder, he scored 19 goals in the prior campaign at County.

The way that Chesterfield's players play isn't quite as well suited to how Notts County had their players playing. They controlled games like no other team that's ever been in the National League, with their dominance on the ball. That style not only suited playing for a top-end League One team, but it also fit how Oxford wanted to play.

If the bid is a relatively cheap one, and the move gets done, then there's only upside to the move.

But, they shouldn't go chasing him with silly money, and Oxford fans shouldn't start to think that he's someone that can easily lift them back up to an automatic promotion spot.