KARL Robinson says Alex Gorrin will be offered a new contract – and confirmed Oxford United have opened talks with other players.

The Spanish midfielder is among a group of nine members of the first-team squad whose terms expire next summer, plus four loanees.

Gorrin has not played since tearing his anterior cruciate ligament against Bristol Rovers on November 7 and will remain on the sidelines for some time.

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The 28-year-old had been an ever-present since signing from Motherwell in 2019 and reached 100 U’s appearances the week before his injury.

And Robinson feels his stellar service deserves to be rewarded.

The U’s head coach said: “We’re speaking a lot about who we want to look for, for next season.

“Alex will be someone we’ll offer a contract to.

“What he’s given this football club in the last two or three years, he’s somebody I’ve been able to rely on for a long time and he’s someone that means a lot to me.

“That’s why when he got injured it was gutting for him and for his career – it was a difficult one to accept.

“I felt it was the right thing to do because I want other players here to know if you put your body on the line we’ll look after you.

“We’ve still got to have some of these conversations but it’s dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s really.”

Gorrin is not the only long-serving player in the final year of his contract.

James Henry remains a regular in his fifth season at United, passing 200 games and 50 goals for the club in recent months, but his deal expires next summer.

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Robinson was asked about two players whose excellent form has helped the U’s to sixth place in Sky Bet League One.

Elliott Moore has captained United from centre back for most of the past year, while Mark Sykes has scored six goals this season – double the tally of his previous two-and-a-half years at the club.

Both are entering the final six months of their contracts and Robinson suggested he was not worried about losing those players for nothing.

He said: “They know where we stand on that, conversations have already started with those players and I’ll be disappointed if they’re not here next season.

“When you look at everybody’s career who’s been here – they’ve left here for a fee, only one person hasn’t and we’re still disappointed by that.

“We don’t stand in people’s way if the fee is right, we move aside to make your career move forward.

“I’d like to think we can get some of these deals done, take stock and know who we have in the building next season.”

Others entering the final six months of their deals include Jamie Hanson, who has been limited to 86 appearances since 2018 by a string of injuries.

Anthony Forde and Dan Agyei’s terms expire next summer, as does Billy Bodin’s, having only signed a one-year deal when he joined in June.

United have an option to extend Sam Winnall’s contract by a further 12 months before it runs out at the end of the season.

Youngsters Tyler Goodrham, Leon Chambers-Parillon, Michael Elechi and Slavi Spasov also see their deals expire in the summer.