Oxford United manager Karl Robinson is hoping that loanees Ben Woodburn and Nathan Holland will return to the club next season.
The club have made enquiries with Liverpool and West Ham United respectively about bringing the duo back to Grenoble Road, with injury having halted both of their campaigns.
Woodburn, who arrived last summer, managed just 13 appearances before breaking a bone in his foot at Accrington Stanley in October.
Then, upon his return, the 20-year-old broke a bone in his other foot while training with his parent club. Despite the setbacks, Woodburn scored once and provided five assists for the U’s.
Meanwhile, Holland was Robinson’s first January signing. The 21-year-old had largely impressed for the Hammers in the Premier League 2 and continued his form at Oxford with three goals from eight starts.
But prior to lockdown, Holland also suffered an injury which, at the time, ended his season. However, now with the possible extension of the season, he could yet return.
There is also uncertainty over which division the U’s will be in next season. As a result, Robinson is searching for players that could handle either the Championship or League One and believes the duo are in that bracket.
Robinson told the Oxford Mail: “We’d love the opportunity for Ben Woodburn to be back and we want Nathan Holland back with us next year.
“They’re conversations we’re having. We feel it would be right for their careers. They are both players who should have come and ripped it up.
“They did when they were fit, but unfortunately the injuries have probably knocked them back six months.
“If we went up we think both of them are Championship players anyway and if we didn’t then we’d have some of the best players in League One.
“It’s a no-brainer for us and there’s continuity for them, which I think they all want. While they have that we’d get to steal a bit of a march on everybody else.”
If the pair does re-sign, they won’t be the first loan players to return. Marcus Browne, who has struggled for game time at Middlesbrough this season, rejoined the U’s in January having spent last season on loan.
Boro are one of the clubs that Oxford have spoken to about the possibility of extending their players contract to cover remaining fixtures once the EFL have confirmed how the season will end.
