Oxford United have already started talks with some players whose contracts expire this summer, reveals Karl Robinson.

There are 13 members of the U’s squad whose current deals run out on June 30, although Jordan Obita, Alex Gorrin, James Henry, John Mousinho and Nico Jones have the option of an extra year.

But goalkeeper Jack Stevens and left back Josh Ruffels are among those with a little over five months remaining on their contracts.

Although time is running out to reach new agreements, head coach Robinson feels United have got the situation in hand.

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He said: “We’ve already started these conversations with some players.

“Some of the players whose contracts are up we have options (to extend), so we’ll protect them from that point of view.

“I’m not overly worried, we’re quite secure.”

Ruffels triggered a 12-month contract extension last June, when his existing three-year deal had weeks left to run.

By the end of this season, the 27-year-old will have been at United for eight years and should have passed 300 appearances – a number he is just 11 short of at the moment.

Initial conversations over the left back’s deal have taken place, but in a year when the U’s have become used to uncertainty he is happy to be patient.

He said: “There’s been a few talks, but I think that’ll get sorted out fairly soon.

“Nothing’s concrete yet, so we’ll just have to wait and see.

“It’s another one of those things that’s up in the air.”

As well as Stevens and Ruffels, the other players out of contract this summer include Simon Eastwood, Mark Sykes, Rob Hall and Anthony Forde.

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Malachi Napa and Dylan Asonganyi’s deals are also set to expire.

Meanwhile, Marcus McGuane, Liam Kelly and Mide Shodipo’s season-long loans from Nottingham Forest, Feyenoord and QPR respectively will all end.

Elsewhere, United have already tied down several first-team regulars until at least the conclusion of the 2021/22 campaign.

Sam Long and Elliott Moore have a year and a half of their current deals left, while Matty Taylor, Cameron Brannagan and Rob Atkinson are all contracted with the U’s until summer 2023.