Darren Patterson is still striving to improve his Oxford United squad for the final few weeks of this season.

But he needs players to move out before he can get anyone else in, and two of his transfer-listed trio rejected possible moves last week.

Although the U's boss cannot force an out-of-favour player to join another club, he believes some get so stuck in the "comfort zone" where they are, they don't think appreciate getting regular first-team football might benefit them, and that being in the shop window might enhance their career prospects.

Carl Pettefer, Eddie Hutchinson, Matt Day and Yemi Odubade are all on the transfer list, and only Day - who Patterson has praised in recent weeks - was the only one included in the 16-man squad that won 1-0 at Stafford last Saturday.

Patterson said: "Two people refused moves last week, and that's all I can say.

"I'm impatient, I want to do things now, I want to improve my squad.

"Although you can only have five players on the bench - and five loan signings in the squad - that doesn't stop me dropping one of them, and they're all short-term deals. It's about competition, and doing better.

"I would like to still improve just to make sure we finish the season on a high, especially going forward and scoring goals, and in wide areas, but I can't do anything unless people go out.

"So I've got a short space of time in which that can happen.

"And if not, we'll just go with what we've got, and we include the younger players a lot more until the end of the season."

Patterson conceded he couldn't force players under contract to go out, even if another club came in for them.

He said: "People are sat in comfort zones and are happy doing what they're doing.

"I've just got to treat them respectfully, which is what I do. I've got a great relationship with every one of the boys, and the rest is down to them."

Pictured are (from top) Eddie Hutchinson, Carl Pettefer and Yemi Odubade.

Oxford United are reminding fans that they can book tickets online for Monday's game against Stevenage Borough (3).

Despite the club's ticket office being closed on Good Friday, Easter Saturday or Easter Sunday, tickets can be bought by going to the official website and following the tickets link.