ROB Dickie has signed a new contract which will keep him at Oxford United for an extra 12 months.

The centre back was about to head into the final year of his existing deal, raising concerns he could follow in Curtis Nelson’s footsteps and leave for free next summer.

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But the U’s have been determined to avoid a repeat of that scenario and the 23-year-old has agreed fresh terms which will see him through to the end of the 2020/21 campaign.

He said: “The club came to me and wanted to extend my deal.

“I was quite happy too, to be honest.

“I think it’s a club that’s moving forward and I’d like to help it do that. I like the manager and the way he plays.

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“Obviously when you sign a new contract you weigh up a lot of things and I decided it would be a good thing for me.”

United bought Dickie from Reading for an undisclosed fee in January 2018.

After breaking into the side he formed a partnership alongside Nelson, making 49 appearances last season.