DARREN Purse will be the next Oxford United player to be sold.

The central defender, who celebrates his 21st birthday this Saturday, seems destined to leave the Manor Ground before next month's transfer deadline.

And a move could come much sooner than that.

I understand that a wealthy Division 1 club have already had an £800,000 bid for Purse accepted.

But the deal was put on ice when United were able to resurrect Bury's interest in Nigel Jemson and the striker, who was out of contract in the summer, joined the Shakers for £100,000 last week.

Manager Malcolm Shotton is virtually resigned to losing Purse, his most valuable player, but is determined to hang on to him for as long as possible.

Yet United's mounting losses, which were running at £70,000 a month, and cash-flow problems - they have only one home match between January 24 and February 28 - make a further sale inevitable.

Shotton said, after putting his players through another hard training session: "I knew we had financial problems here but I didn't realise I'd be having to sell a player every week!"

He added: "Everything's being done through Darren's agent. It looks like he'll be leaving but I want to keep him for as long as I can and I certainly hope he'll be in our team to face West Brom next week.

"If he does go I have been promised some of the money to spend on another player and I would definitely bring in another defender, even if it's only on loan." Maurice Evans, who has taken over effectively as director of football in succession to Denis Smith now that he is in every day at the Manor, and has joined the board, intimated that a further sale before the deadline could not be ruled out.

"We're looking at it on a day by day basis," Evans said.

I believe United may be trying to hang on in the hope that Phil Whelan will be able to step into Purse's boots in two to three weeks' time. Whelan, recovering from a broken leg, is in his second week at Lilleshall's sports rehabilitation centre.

Former United boss Smith, who signed Purse for £100,000 from Leyton Orient two years ago, was believed to have been keen to take the centre back to West Brom.

However, Shotton confirmed Smith was not amonbg those who were chasing the defender this time.

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