Striker Tom Craddock, released by Oxford United last week, could be on his way to Portsmouth.

The former Luton Town marksman, who was let go by U’s boss Chris Wilder, despite four goals in a game against Accrington Stanley last season, has been in talks with Pompey. There have been negotiations already and it looks like a deal will be tied-up next week, according to sources close to the south-coast club.

So the 26-year-old could be playing against Oxford next season, following Ports-mouth’s relegation from npower League One.

He would become the second U’s player to find a new club after goalkeeper Luke McCor-mick signed for Plymouth.

Craddock signed for the U’s in August, 2010, from Luton for a fee believed to be around £50,000, making his U’s debut in a 4-0 home win against Morecambe in the September.

The former Middlesbrough trainee scored his first Oxford goal in a 2-0 win at Hereford.

He ended the season with 15 league goals, just behind top-scorer James Constable who netted 17 times.

However, Craddock suffered a knee injury in the summer which saw him sidelined until the November 2011 when he was sent off ten minutes after coming on in a 1-0 home defeat by Southend in the JP Trophy.

He struggled to regain full fitness following a recurrence of a hamstring injury as he made only ten appearances.

Craddock started last season superbly, scoring ten goals in 19 appearances, but a cracked rib saw him ruled for a month.

On his return, he never reproduced his early season form and was released.

Meanwhile, Deane Smalley and Scott Davies, offered new contracts last week, are expected to give their replies shortly.