OXFORD United manager Malcolm Shotton could have as little as £200,000 of the £1m received for Dean Windass to spend on a replacement stri- ker.

But the chances of a new forward in United's line-up by tomorrow seem slim.

Maurice Evans, the club's director of football, said last night: "I made two inquiries for a player this morning and Malcolm made one, but without any joy, I gather.

"The problem is, other clubs see that we've sold Dean for £1m and they think we've got that much money to spend. But that's certainly not the case.

"Half of it has to go to repaying Aberdeen and the bank are pressing for some. Malcolm is going to end up with next to nothing to spend on a new player and it's going to be very difficult for him."

Asked whether it could be less than £200,000 available for a replacement, Evans replied: "It will be around that mark."

He added: "We've tried Premiership players on loan but their clubs aren't interested in letting them go. You're not going to get first division clubs selling you strikers or loan you one and although there's two or three non-League players I rate highly, it's a very, very big gamble to ask them to step up to our level and play in the pressure situation we are in." Evans dismissed any notion that United would try for Gordon Watson, the out-of-favour Bradford striker who has been recovering from a broken leg, who was mentioned in a possible player-plus cash deal with Windass.

"Malcolm watched him a couple of weeks ago but thought he didn't look right."

And he explained why it had become impossible for Oxford to hang on to Windass any longer, saying: "He made it perfectly clear that he was looking to play in the Premier League. He's 29 and he wanted his chance."

United had said to they would let Windass speak to a Premiership club, but were reluctant to let him go to another Division 1 club.

"Yes, that was what was intended," Evans confirmed. "But when Dean had wind that first Huddersfield and then Bradford were in for him, he became desperate to leave."

Evans likened the departure of Deano to that of Aldo.

"Yes, I can see big parallels with John Aldridge," he said. "The clamour became so big, we just couldn't stand in his way.

"Dean had great ability and confidence in himself, but his last two or three games for us showed his heart wasn't quite in it."

Story date: Saturday 06 March

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