KARL Robinson says Oxford United’s transfer window must step up a gear in the coming week.
Ciaron Brown remains the U’s only arrival of the summer, although the club are expected to complete a signing from overseas imminently.
It is only three weeks until United start the Sky Bet League One season with a trip to Derby County, who have brought in several players since their takeover last week.
READ MORE: Jerome Sinclair starts as Oxford United beat Banbury
Robinson admitted he expected more players to be in the building by this point of the summer – and wants to be closer to his full-strength starting XI when the U’s host Coventry City next Saturday.
“This week we need to put our foot down and get one or two things over the line,” the U’s head coach said.
“I would like more. We’ve just missed out in certain areas, but behind the scenes there are two deals sort of done that we’ve known about for a while, one of them from a Premier League club.
“We’ve got to be careful what we say, but there are things that will make this team stronger that aren’t here yet.
“A week today I want to see our starting XI, or close to it, and that’s only seven days away. It’s going to be a busy seven days.”
Robinson was speaking after today’s double-header against North Leigh and Banbury United, where the squad split in two for a 3-1 win in west Oxfordshire and a 2-1 triumph at the Puritans.
READ MORE: Oxford United beat North Leigh on record day for non-league club
The starting XI for the latter game included former loanee Jerome Sinclair, who trained with United all week and played the first 45 minutes.
The striker had little joy in his first match since May 2021, but Robinson did not close the door on a return for the free agent.
Asked if he wanted him at United, the U’s boss said: “If he keeps improving, yeah, in that period of time he’s been away he showed the energy he’s got.
“He’s different to Matty (Taylor), he’s different to Sam (Baldock), he’s younger. He would be ours, he wouldn’t be a loan, so there’s a lot of positives.”
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