THE January transfer window is now open and clubs across England can add reinforcements as they prepare for the second half of the season.

Oxford United have already made one signing, that of 20-year-old centre back Stephan Negru from League of Ireland Premier Division side Shelbourne.

We spoke to Mark McCadden of the Irish Daily Star, to get his thoughts on Negru.

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What kind of defender is Negru?

Stephan is definitely a defender with a strong old-school style to his game. He played under Gavin Peers, his coach at Shelbourne’s Under-19s, who was similarly old-school in his approach. He is a tough tackler and is someone who isn’t afraid to put his head where it hurts.

He was very quick to adapt to life in senior football and put in some very good displays towards the end of the season. He says his hero is John Terry and that’s the type of defender that he is trying to model his game on.

What are Negru’s strengths and where does he need to improve?

Among his strengths are his physicality. He made his league debut in a very tough environment – away to Finn Harps. But he held his own against a very physical team. He is good in the air and in the tackle.

He admits himself that when it comes to the technical side of the game, he needs to improve. Issues such as concentration over 90 minutes will come with age.

What has Negru’s form been like for Shelbourne?

He broke into Damien Duff’s first team in September and was a regular from that point. Duff put a huge emphasis on defensive discipline, so clearly had faith in Stephan when he kept including him in his team. He quickly became very popular with the fans thanks to his high-energy performances.

How do you think he’ll adjust to English football?

Given how quickly he adapted to the move up to senior football, I’d be confident in Stephan’s ability to adjust to the English game. I’m sure any areas that need work will be identified by the Oxford coaching staff. He is a confident young player and won’t be fazed by the challenge ahead.

Does he have what it takes to play football at international level?

It’s hard to say at this point. But I would be very surprised if he didn’t get a call-up at Under-21 level this year. Moldova are obviously keen, but the current Ireland Under-21 boss Jim Crawford is a former Shelbourne player, and is aware of Stephan and his ability.