ANINDYA Bakrie has offered a clear indication that Oxford United see their future away from the Kassam Stadium.

The U’s director and his Indonesian associates are set to take the majority stake in the club, once the English Football League approves the deal.

On Saturday, Bakrie attended United’s win over Morecambe at Grenoble Road, where the club’s lease expires in 2026.

Work is ongoing to secure a long-term home for the U’s and the board member suggested it would not be at their current ground.

He said: “We are not in a position to say exactly where, but it has to be in Oxford and we hope it’s not far away from the current place.

“We need to work with the authorities to get the land to do it.

“We need to do proper planning, we want to involve not only the community but talk to a lot of people who have done it to make it sustainable.

“If we can go up (to the Championship) in these two years that would be ideal.

“On the pitch (performance) is very crucial while we are designing, getting approval and having this ambition.”

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Bakrie spent Saturday morning meeting figures at Oxford University, while he spoke at the COP26 climate change summit in Glasgow last night.

And the 46-year-old believes a new stadium must be environmentally-friendly, with Oxford aiming to be net-zero carbon emissions as a city by 2040.

He said: “It’s possible, the technology is there.

“From the environmental sustainability side, we can make a difference.

“It is not about trying to comply, but trying to make an impact we can be proud of.”

Sustainability is the keyword for Bakrie, who knows results have to match off-pitch progress for United to move forwards.

He told BBC Oxford: “The performance on the pitch has to take the lead and that’s why I’m really supportive of the management team and our squad.

“Having said that, we believe off the pitch is as important, not only on the financial, commerciality and viability side, but also making sure you stand for something.

“When people look at Oxford United we want to make sure they think about a club building brick-by-brick and will get there by doing the right things.”

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Bakrie watched Saturday’s game alongside fellow director Horst Geicke, who is also set to increase his stake in the club.

Former board member Erick Thohir is another investor involved in the deal, which will see U’s chairman and owner Sumrith ‘Tiger’ Thanakarnjanasuth become a minority shareholder.

Bakrie said: “I’m very excited, but at the same time very honoured.

“We’ve been involved for three years as a minority investor, we have the opportunity to become a majority.

“It comes with responsibility to work together with the management team, board members, investors and certainly the fans to make sure Oxford is performing on and off the pitch.

“I don’t look at it as the first Indonesian (to own an English club), but it is more what we can do to Oxford United that can make all of us proud.”