THE campaign still has a fortnight to run, but planning for next season’s squad at Oxford United is well under way.

Knowing which division the U’s will be in come August is the silver lining of mid-table mediocrity – and a luxury tomorrow’s hosts Tranmere Rovers would dearly love.

The priority for head coach Michael Appleton is to avoid a repeat of this season, when his arrival as part of a takeover last July put them two months behind most of their rivals.

This time, the U’s boss wants most of the club’s business to be done by the end of next month.

And to pull it off, the recruitment process started weeks ago.

“Before I go away at half term with my kids in May, I want pretty much 95 per cent of the squad done,” he said.

“There have been a couple that we’re very close to agreeing something with, but until I see something in black and white I’m not going to get carried away.

“We are very confident that a couple will be done by the first week after the season ends.”

He added: “I’ve seen plenty of gentleman’s agreements, which were supposed to be in place, abolished because of last minute scenarios.

“I think the most important thing is let’s make sure when we bring players in they’re better than we’ve got.

“To try and find out they’re the right type you have to go and meet them.

“That has happened with certain players and that will continue to happen.”

Portsmouth striker Ryan Taylor became the first player to be linked with a move to the club yesterday.

Appleton was coy on whether reports United had made a formal approach for the 26-year-old, who is out of contract at Fratton Park this summer, were true.

He said: “I’ve gone on record as saying I want four strikers for next year.

“At the minute we’ve got three and one on loan, so Ryan will be one of many we will get linked to.

“He’s a talent and is a good age.

“We will be speaking to lots of players and I have spoken to lots of players whose contracts are up.

Oxford United will be in a race with a lot of other clubs regarding the likes of Ryan Taylor and other forwards who are going to become available in the summer.”

The desire to act swiftly covers outs as well as ins.

United have decisions to make on 14 players in the senior squad whose contracts are set to expire.

Now the club are officially safe from relegation, talks will be held before the end of the season to give those not in Appleton’s plans a head start in finding a new club.

The U’s boss said: “We’ll have discussions between now and the Newport game (on May 2) with the various players and put things in place to make decisions very quickly.

“It’s a massive jigsaw, you don’t want to lose any footballer from your club unless you think you can replace him with better.

“There will be good footballers becoming available over the summer and I think sometimes you’ve got to make your mind up." 

He added: “Sometimes you’ve got to make a decision on players who when the goings got tough and we’ve played difficult games in difficult situations, have they stood up to be counted?”