STAY-AT-HOME Joey Beauchamp could be a Premiership player after all by the weekend to rescue crisis club Oxford United.

The 27-year-old winger had yesterday stunned United by refusing to hold transfer talks with a Premier League club.

But it emerged last night that Southampton have made a move for him and it is reported he is travelling to The Dell today for talks. It's also believed Coventry have made a move for him.

Unconfirmed reports state that a deal has been set up with West Brom, managed by former U's boss Denis Smith, which would take defender Phil Gilchrist to The Hawthorns. But this will only go through if Beauchamp doesn't move.

Beauchamp has several times insisted he wants to switch only to the top flight, and certainly not down to Division 2, with both Southampton and Coventry being close enough for him to be able to commute.

These latest developments broke after United manager Malcolm Shotton blew his top yesterday when Beauchamp initially turned down the chance to speak to a Premiership club.

Shotton said: "We have had another club thinking about looking at Joey, but he will not even speak to them.

"He has always said he wants Premier League football and this is his chance, but he won't take it. They have not made an offer, but they know exactly what sort of dough we are looking for."

Debt-ridden Oxford are desperate to sell a player by this weekend. The staff - including Shotton - have not been paid for more than seven weeks, and the players are due to be paid their November wages on Monday.

Beauchamp, whose £800,000 move to Nottingham Forest collapsed earlier this month when he failed a medical, has since turned down the chance to speak to Manchester City and Reading. He was unavailable for comment yesterday, but he has always made it clear he has ambitions to play at the highest level.

Indeed, at the time the Forest move broke down, he said: "Obviously I was gutted because I thought this could be my chance of joining a Premiership club."

There could also be action elsewhere on the transfer front today following the return of Paul Powell and Simon Marsh from Italy where the United duo helped the Football League Under 21 team to a 1-1 draw against their Serie B counterparts.

Marsh played the full 90 minutes while Powell was replaced at half-time.

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