French defender Alex Jeannin says he wants to return to Oxford United and fight for a place in the team.

And he's not interested in going out somewhere on a season-long loan.

The 30-year-old left back is one of three unwanted players at Oxford - along with Eddie Hutchinson and Joel Ledgister - transfer-listed by manager Darren Patterson, who says the trio will not be involved in the first-team squad next season.

But Jeannin, who is contracted to the U's for a further year - after an extra 12 months 'kicked in' once he had made 25 league appearances in January - said: "As things stand, I am still returning to Oxford when we all report back on June 23.

"I'm contracted to Oxford and I'll be coming back. I've got to speak to the manager, but I want to come back and be part of the team.

"I don't want to go out on a season-long loan somewhere, that's not really what I want.

"I was at Kidderminster on loan for the last three months of last season and thought that was a good three months. It was the first time in my career I had been out on loan.

"I want to be at a club where I'm part of what they want to achieve, and feel a part of the set-up.

"I know I'm still on the transfer list at Oxford, but as far as I'm concerned, as it stands today, I'm coming back on the 23rd."

The former Darlington, Exeter and Bristol Rovers player, who has made more than 200 league and cup appearances in English football since crossing the Channel from Troyes, was speaking while on holiday in the United States.

Patterson sent him out on loan to Kidderminster when he managed to bring in the experienced ex-Swansea left back Michael Howard from Morecambe.

Howard is still under contract for another year at Morecambe, but they are understood to be prepared to let him go, and he is keen to return to Oxford, where he was on loan since February.