Speed merchant Chris Hackett is on the verge of agreeing a new deal to stay at Oxford United.

The players have begun their summer holidays, but U's boss Graham Rix was back at the Kassam Stadium yesterday for a series of meetings.

And last night he confirmed that progress was being made in a number of the negotiations with players and their agents.

"There's still one or two things bubbling, but we're trying very hard, I can promise you," he said.

"We're expecting Chris Hackett to sign in the next few days, but it's not all tied up yet."

The Sandford-on-Thames right winger, a former county sprint champion, had a mixed season in the last campaign, making just six starts and 16 substitute appearances in the league.

He hardly got a starting chance under former boss Ian Atkins, who tended to prefer wingbacks and a narrow midfield.

But immediately after taking over, Rix showed his liking for playing with wingers, using Hackett on one side and Courtney Pitt on the other.

Pitt proved a big disappointment and has been released. But Rix, who was eager to introduce more pace into the team, has been keen to keep Hackett and believes he has considerable promise.

The 21-year-old did not set the world alight in the games he played near the end of the season.

But in his defence United were on a losing run, lacking confidence, and he seldom had a central striker to aim for with his crosses, with Julian Alsop either injured or out of favour.