Former Oxford United winger Gavin Whyte has backed fellow Northern Irishman Joel Cooper to succeed if he joins the U’s in the summer.
Earlier this week, Cooper was linked with a move to Oxford, but Shrewsbury Town are also reportedly keeping tabs on the 24-year-old Linfield winger.
Whyte, who played youth football against Cooper in Northern Ireland, has come on leaps and bounds since he left the NIFL, and now plays at Championship side Cardiff City.
The winger only played for one season with the U’s, but he scored nine goals and made his International debut during his time at the club before the Bluebirds signed him for £2 million in the summer.
The U’s also snapped up Mark Sykes from the same division 18 months ago, and Whyte believes that Cooper can emulate the duo’s achievements at Oxford.
He told The Score radio show: “Definitely, I think loads of young players in the Irish League do.
“It’s a harder step, but Joel is a great player and there are a lot of great young players who if they get the chance and work hard they could do it as well.
“I think if that happens for Joel it would be a great move, as it was for me and Sykesy, who is flying at the minute.
“When he moved to Glenavon a couple of years ago he ripped it up and this season he’s been head and shoulders above everyone else.
“He does really deserve it and hopefully the move comes along for him.”
Cooper has scored 11 goals and provided 12 assists for Linfield this season, and looks like being the U’s third signing from the Irish Premiership.
