Exclusive: Oxford United in talks to sign Swansea City star | OneFootball

Oxford United have entered talks over a late-window move for Swansea City defender Josh Key, Football League World has learned

Oxford United have enjoyed a productive January transfer window under the stewardship of new manager Matt Bloomfield, who remains intent on further bolstering his in-form squad ahead of next week's deadline - and Football League World can exclusively reveal that a fresh face could soon be heading to the Kassam Stadium.

The U's have completed five signings and counting, with FLW breaking the news of Jamie Donley's loan arrival from Tottenham Hotspur at the start of the window.

Attacking midfielder Donley has been joined in Oxfordshire by exciting South Korean winger Jin-Woo Jeon and Jamie McDonnell, along with Yunus Emre Konak and Myles Peart-Harris - both of whom signed from Brentford - and Bloomfield is on the search for further recruits as we edge ever closer to next Monday's 7pm deadline.

Oxford will be hoping for a strong end to the window in order to enhance their efforts of avoiding relegation to League One, having staved off the drop under Gary Rowett last term.

Following Rowett's recent dismissal, however, Bloomfield has hit the ground running with the U's, taking points from his opening two encounters at home to Bristol City and QPR before last weekend's statement 2-1 victory at Leicester - which sparked the sacking of Marti Cifuentes.

The U's remain positioned inside the relegation zone at this moment in time, sitting in 23rd and three points shy of 21st-placed Portsmouth - who have a game in hand on Bloomfield's side - ahead of Saturday's home fixture against Birmingham City.

Oxford United in Swansea City transfer talks for Josh Key

Now, as less than a week remains of the current transfer window, Football League World can exclusively reveal that a sixth addition could be impending in the form of Swansea City's Josh Key, who has emerged as a late target for the Championship survival hopefuls.

Indeed, FLW has learned that Oxford have ramped up their interest in the defender's services by entering formal talks over a potential deal to take him out of South Wales, where Key has been since joining from boyhood club Exeter City in the summer of 2023.

FLW understands that a deal has been presented to take Key on loan for the remainder of the campaign, with the 26-year-old having slipped down the pecking order since the appointment of Vitor Matos back in November.

A regular fixture under ex-boss Alan Sheehan, the 26-year-old right-back has started just three of Matos' opening 13 games in charge of the Swans, who have enjoyed an upturn in fortunes following his arrival in the dugout.

Swansea City's Josh Key could be a strong signing for Oxford United

Key has accumulated a wealth of Championship experience at this stage of his career, having now made more than 100 appearances for Swansea, and that makes him an appealing option for Bloomfield to pursue as he looks to shore up his backline and instil fresh fight and nous to the side's survival efforts.

The former Exeter defender would offer competition to the likes of Sam Long and Brodie Spencer on the right-hand side, which is an area that Bloomfield is clearly keen to improve. It has been separately reported via Sky Sports that Oxford have seen an enquiry knocked back for Luton Town wide-man Isaiah Jones, potentially forcing them to set their sights on Key's signature instead.

It looks like it could be a busy end to the window at the Kassam Stadium, and Oxford can't afford to get it wrong.