Oxford United midfielder Mark Sykes is looking for improved performances in the hope of staying with the club next season.
The 23-year-old is out of contract in the summer but the U’s have the option to extend for a further year.
However, the midfielder has struggled to get going this season. Despite featuring in the last 13 league games, he has completed 90 minutes on just two occasions.
Sykes also featured in ten of the opening 13 league games but a poor display in a loss against Swindon in November left him excluded for nine of the following ten league fixtures, featuring only in the Football League Trophy matches.
Despite being involved more of late, the midfielder is unsure what the club will decide regarding his future. Speaking to the Oxford Mail, he said: “If they take it up happy days, but they haven’t told me what they want to do yet.
“I feel like I’ve done well when I have been playing. But it’s not my decision, so it’s up to the club and whatever they think.
“If I’m playing well it makes their decision a little bit easier.”
Unlike the arrival of Gavin Whyte, who departed the club following just one outstanding season, Sykes has struggled to get going since his arrival from Glenavon in January 2019.
While he has turned out 82 times for the U’s, he has managed just three goals during that time. The midfielder has also failed to secure one position on the pitch, having played on both flanks and in the middle.
Based on his performances for the club, he is a player with the capabilities to turn the game on its head but his inconsistent performances could deter the club from offering him a new deal.
