RYAN Taylor is relishing the prospect of battling for a place in Oxford United’s striking quartet next season after completing his move yesterday.

The 27-year-old, who scored ten goals for Portsmouth last season, agreed a deal which will keep him at the club until 2017.

It completes U’s boss Michael Appleton’s aim of going into the next campaign with four strikers.

And Taylor is confident of establishing himself in a unit alongside last season’s top-scorer, Danny Hylton, Patrick Hoban and James Roberts.

He said: “By the looks of it, there’s going to be plenty of competition, but I thrive off that and I will look to be one of the names on the teamsheet.

“The four are all different in some way, but I want to be on that sheet every week, so I will be doing everything I can to show the manager I am the best choice.”

News of United’s interest in the former Rotherham United trainee broke before the end of the season.

And despite interest from elsewhere, once Taylor met Appleton there was only ever going to be one outcome, prompting new Portsmouth boss Paul Cook to not even offer a new contract last week.

The striker said: “As soon as I realised Oxford were interested I spoke to the manager and saw his ambition.

“They have a plan for the next couple of years and I want to be a part of it.

“Obviously Paul Cook has his own ideas.

“As a new manager he wants to come in and put his stamp on the team, but I was already speaking to Oxford and wanted to be a part of what’s happening here.”

Taylor featured strongly in United’s games against Pompey last season, a 1-0 home defeat last August and a 0-0 draw at Fratton Park in February.

Mark Ashton, United’s chief executive, is thrilled at the thought of seeing him in a yellow shirt next sea- son.

He said: “I think he was the turning point in the game when we played them at home last season.

“You only have to ask Jake Wright and Mulls (Johnny Mullins) about what a handful he was.

“When you add Hylton, (Kemar) Roofe, Hoban, (Alex) MacDonald, (Callum) O’Dowda and Roberts into that mix you’ve got goals.

“You can hear it when he talks, the guy is hungry for success.”