OXFORD United’s chief executive is cautious about the club making a bold statement during the January transfer window.

The window is the first under United’s new owners, the Indonesian investors Anindya Bakrie and Erick Thohir.

In September, the duo finalised a deal that saw them take a controlling 51 per cent stake in the U’s.

It ended Sumrith ‘Tiger’ Thanakarnjanasuth’s four-and-a-half-year term as owner and chairman, although the Thai businessman remains a minority shareholder.

Tim Williams was appointed chief executive of the club shortly after Bakrie and Thohir completed the change of ownership.

Williams, who has previously served as chief financial officer at Inter Milan and group financial controller at Manchester United, is wary though when new owners splash the cash in their first transfer window.

He said: “I’m always really nervous about clubs making grand statements when a new owner comes in.

“So to me, it is business as usual in the sense that we have we already discussed what we need to do and want to do in the January window.

“That need and want could evolve during the window.

“Those discussions will happen on a daily basis, as to what we need to do.”

Earlier this week, United head coach Karl Robinson said a key area for the club in the January window will be in the forward line.

Kyle Joseph has been out with an ankle injury suffered following a tackle during the 1-1 draw at Shrewsbury Town on November 9, while Sam Baldock has yet to play for the U’s this campaign.

Robinson said: “We’ve had basically one striker fit all season. With the injuries to Kyle and Sam, we need to be aggressive in that area in the window.”

READ AGAIN: Karl Robinson highlights area of the pitch he wants to strengthen in January

Off the pitch, Williams is optimistic the club can soon make key appointments to help achieve the goal of securing promotion from Sky Bet League One.

“Going into the new year, the objective remains the same – we want to get promoted,” said Williams.

“That is the goal and we are pushing for that goal.

“On the non-playing side, we’ve been working really hard to get the business organised in a slightly different way, making sure we’ve got the right people in the right place doing the right things at the right time with the right level of skill.

“We’re going to make a few key appointments in the new year so hopefully that’ll be good news on the non-playing side, which could really help to drive the business forward and the club forward on the playing side as well.

“We need to look into making some key appointments in the commercial side of the business, which is really going to drive our fan engagement and revenues, to then invest on the pitch.

“Hopefully there’ll be some good news there early in the new year.”