KARL Robinson believes the World Cup is having an impact on the transfer market – even at Oxford United’s level.

While the club’s recruitment team have been working hard on targets for several weeks, Cameron Norman remains the only new face.

Other deals are understood to be close to completion, but cannot go through until replacements are signed by the parent clubs higher up the pyramid.

It means a waiting game before a domino effect is started.

Robinson, along with owner Sumrith ‘Tiger’ Thanakarnjanasuth, is at ease with the situation and views the World Cup as a factor.

With the vast majority of Premier League targets competing in Russia and unable to commit until after they are knocked out, the U’s boss believes it is clogging up the system.

Robinson also thinks some clubs are delaying decisions due to the transfer deadline being brought forward to August 9, with loans available for another three weeks.

He said: “It’s just a very difficult window.

“I’ve spoken to a few Premier League managers and they were saying it was very unique.

“Obviously there’s the World Cup, the window closing and then the loan window reopening, plus the overpricing of players at the top end of the game.

“In a really weird way it’s coming all the way down the pyramid.

“We’ve got deals lined up but you just have to wait for their parent club to get their deals done.

“If it’s happening at the top end it will filter its way down to us.”

Robinson would love to get a big chunk of the recruitment business finished by the end of the month, when United’s players return for pre-season testing and then fly off to a training camp in Ireland.

The former MK Dons and Charlton Athletic boss is used to being patient, though, and is confident the new faces will be worth the wait.

He said: “I’m not frustrated at all.

“I’ve spent the last ten years doing this, you almost become acclimatised to it.

“We’re trying to go for less quantity and more quality.

“We know exactly what we need and exactly where we’re at and I’m very comfortable with the situation.

“I’m sure people are saying ‘sign him or him’, but I wish it was that easy.

“We’re not playing Championship Manager, we’re playing real football.

“Unfortunately, sometimes there’s a lot of haggling that goes on and there’s a lot of respect for other clubs you have to take into consideration.”

Thanakarnjanasuth insists he is not frustrated about the situation.

He said: “Not at all because at this time of the season a lot of big clubs that we’re dealing with a lot don’t want to commit until pre-season starts.

“But we know who we’re going to get and they’re going to be very good quality players.

“We will definitely excite the fans. Everybody has got to wait and see. We’re going to sign I think nine players at least for the new season.”

Thanakarnjanasuth was in the UK last week, but although he spends most of his time 6,000 miles away in Thailand, he is in regular contact with U’s manager Karl Robinson.

Tiger said: “We speak a couple of times a day, besides Skype meetings and phone conferences.

“It’s not just Karl, but (coaches) Shaun Derry, Derek Faz, (head of recruitment) Mark Thomas, everyone.

“We have a very strong recruitment team.”